Lehighvalleylive.com staff writer Sara K. Satullo contributed to this report. That means they're working. Employee seen eating at work station adjacent to food prep bench. Washing equipment had buildup of filth and food residue and not cleaned before use. Wooden pizza paddles and fridge gaskets held together with duct tape. Rewash this piece of equipment. Several food items were out of temperature range near the grill at the time of the inspection including bean sprouts (62-65F), rice (74-78F), and egg rolls (60-67F). Inspection notes: Employees were not following procedures of keeping food safe, shown by the mishandling of raw meat products and also raw chicken by not refrigerating and mixing with ready-to-eat foods; chicken that was delivered was left on a table and had already been recorded as reading 61 degrees, indicating the chicken was not 41 degrees or lower at the time of delivery within the past three hours; cutting board and prep table that was being used to cut food on had food residue on that was not something that was currently being cut; employees were observed placing gloves on their hands after arrival, but not washing their hands first; room off the food storage room is "full of unused equipment and scrap metal has never been cleaned, and presents a harborage area for insects and vermin"; four cases of juice concentrate marked to be kept frozen until use were at room temperature for an undetermined length of time. Hand wash sinks may only be used for hand washing. None of the violations were "critical," he noted. The 2019 inspections, he felt, focused on things that may not routinely apply to a 35-seat diner or a mom-and-pop restaurant, such as putting up a staff-only sign over the kitchen linked to bioterrorism concerns, or listing every ingredient in packaged food made on the premises and sold in the general store. Health inspectors conducted more than 3,700 assessments of 3,000 food-service facilities in the Lehigh Valley in 2019, uncovering 8,000 violations. "If you check my health inspection lately you see just approximately zero" violations, he did say. Additionally, cream was observed in the reach in bar fridge at 47F. Here is a . -Chicken was observed thawing in standing water in the 3 bay sink, which is not an approved thawing method. The Lehigh Valley restaurants with 20 or more total violations in 2019 are listed below in ascending order. Also, at the time of the inspection, violations are recorded but are often corrected on the spot prior to the inspector leaving the facility." -Potentially hazardous ready-to-eat food prepared in the food facility and held for more than 48 hours, located in the display cooler, is not being date marked. -Egg rolls and chicken in the refrigerator next to the front counter, and food stored in the walk-in cooler are stored with no covering or a covering that is not placed properly to fully cover the food. Additionally, a food employee reported placing a cutting board on top of the sink and using it as a work station. (AGF / UIG via Getty Images). "Now we do it regularly, and way better than we used to do. This will show the violations from the last inspection, the comments from the inspector and give you an idea why that violation is important. Ready-to-eat food stored in fridge not properly dated. They ran the gamut from the gross (roaches,. Remove the cans from use. All facilities that prepare, serve, sell or give away food are required to have a food service establishment license issued by the Allentown Health Bureau. Display cooler not maintaining temperature. Stored food not properly dated. You got to make sure you fix those things, and we did that right away, he said. Italiano Delite Inc. 1985 BROOKSIDE RD MACUNGIE, PA 18062 . -The Person in Charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection. Description: Food employees observed in hot line area refusing inspectors orders, not wearing proper hair restraints. Refrigerated food not properly dated. Observed beef, pork, chicken, & pastellios being stored at 49F, 50F, 49F, & 53F, respectfully. "This business is my livelihood. Inspection notes: Person in charge not monitoring employee activities; knife being stored in walk-in cooler, stuck in a box of jalapeos; employee seen prepping food, wiping gloved hands on soiled rag on waist then continuing food prep; employee was observed touching his face with gloved hands then touching chips; wiping cloths are being used for multiple tasks, are being allowed to come into contact with ready-to-eat food, and are being stored in the pockets of employees;in fridge, a reusable food basket was being used as a scoop; "employees were transferring soup from a soup pot to smaller containers. Date mark TCS foods. -Paper towel dispenser empty at the handwash sink in the front counter/prep area. Monitor food temperatures during cold holding. Ceiling in basement prep area is being covered with a utility tarp. "It's really not a big deal if the lid on the bucket of spaghetti wasn't put back on right away, is it?" Address: 4128 W. Tilghman St., South Whitehall Township. Inspection notes: No detectable concentration of chlorine in the solution in which the wiping cloths were stored; individual was observed eating in the kitchen; paper towel dispenser at the hand sink at the front service counter was empty; cutting board was not sanitized after being washed; fruit flies were observed in the kitchen. 845 Linden ST Allentown, PA 18102. -Warm beans with temperatures ranging from 96-116F were placed into a hot holding cabinet instead of a walk-in cooler. Source: Pennsylvania Dept. The exhaust fan unit that is above the cooking bank is laden with oil, grease, and food debris. In the room that is used to store sauces, in the rear of the store, numerous ceiling tiles were stained from water leaking from apartment above. ", Address: 3229 Hamilton Blvd., South Whitehall Township. Erie County restaurant inspections for April 7-13, 2022. Response: The diner is under new ownership in 2020. Disclaimer: According to the Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Laboratory Services division, inspections are a snapshot of the day and time of the inspection. Walk-in freezer drain not functioning, stalagmite-like ice infiltrating bagged food. Cutting blocks deeply scored and encrusted with black mold and mildew and dried food; black mold seen inside ice machine. Food/ beverage contact surfaces, such as coffee pots, must be washed in the wash-rinse-sanitize method. Remove the beans and place them into a walk-in cooler. Sheet pan of wontons observed on top of open trash can.. It can be difficult. -The hand washing sink in the kitchen was blocked by a pan of grapes and it was not accessible at all times for employee use. A stack of clean glasses sits on a counter.Rachel Sonnenshine | MLive.com file photo, Address: 833 N. Krocks Road, Unit 101, Lower Macungie Township. From diners to dives, high-end restaurants to fast food -- no one escapes the eye of the health inspector. "I guess it's their job. Product must be thawed in a refrigerator or under cool running water that is 70F or below. "Numerous open plastic bus tubs of raw and/or cooked items stored directly under rusty corroded steel racks with easily observable adhering dried food product on bottom of rack directly over open tubs. Missing parasite destruction records. -Severely dented, swollen, distressed canned items observed in dry storage room are and intended for use in the food facility. Response: Tom McHugh, vice president for Mid-Atlantic Diners LLC, said his company acquired the restaurant around September and requested the inspection as part of the ownership change. To access the inspection reports you may have to change your computer's settings to allow pop-ups. Health inspectors conducted more than 3,700 assessments of 3,000 food-service facilities in the Lehigh Valley in 2019, uncovering 8,000 violations. Products requiring refrigeration were moved to another unit. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Restaurant's response: Call for comment was disconnected. Plumbing needs repair. -Customer soda fountain nozzles, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and mold/slime-like build-up and was not clean to sight and touch. -Potentially hazardous ready-to-eat food prepared in the food facility and held for more than 48 hours is not being date marked. Mops not hung to dry. The inspections cover restaurants, cafeterias, food markets, processors and other food establishments. We appreciate the vigilance of the local health inspection team and have taken steps to ensure that even the smallest requirements are met on a daily basis. Description: Bins of rice with loose lids in the kitchen are being stored next to a trashcan without a lid and employees are throwing trash from the cooking line into the trashcan. Milk containers reused to store house-made beverages. Wall in waitstaff area is just unfinished drywall. Skip to Content. -Half & Half was held at 48 degrees F, in a small display cooler at the front counter, rather than 41 degrees F or below as required. "It's not as consistent a process as it's sometimes made out to be," Petropoulos said. Restaurant's response: We were unable to get comment by phone, and an email seeking comment was not immediately returned. Description: Observed a significant accumulation of grease and old food debris on the equipment and floor at the cooking line; there are food spills on the shelves and floor in the basement storage area. Raw eggs stored above ready-to-eat food in refrigerator. That would had been a cause to immediately shut down the restaurant in my opinion.". Corrected by replacing vegetables with cut ones in the refrigerator, and placing these back into walk-in as they have been just placed into cooler. Product was promptly reheated. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. The store owner was advised that the food products cannot be stored beneath toxic products. Peter Litos, the new owner, said he immediately addressed old problems like the location of the ice machine and food shelves. Paper towel are to remain stocked at all hand wash sinks. -During the lunch service, an item was taken from the fryer and placed on a cloth towel to absorb the oil. Restaurant's response: Finding some health violations is not unusual in the restaurant business, but nothing seen at Gourmet Buffet & Grill was serious enough to warrant a shutdown, owner Ken Lin said. I should pass with flying colors, he says. Assorted food products were observed being stored directly on the floor of the walk in refrigerator and walk in freezer. Food containers not labeled with contents. -The handwash sink located in the mens and womens bathroom area does not have water at a temperature of at least 100 degrees F. -Pastellios were being hot held at a temperature of 111F, instead of 135F or higher as required. 1. Lozano said that overall he is very proud of his staff and location, both of which get good reviews online. Inspection notes: Mold visible on tray and shelving in walk-in cooler; refrigerator not capable of maintaining food at 41 degrees or below, needs repair; slicer has food residue, must be dismantled and cleaned; employee whose certification is displayed no longer works there; fire suppression system over cooking equipment not serviced in over a year. department's statewide inspection database, https://www.pafoodsafety.pa.gov/Web/Inspection/PublicInspectionSearch.aspx, Pennsylvania Dept. Winstons West Indian & American Restaurant. Plumbing system not maintained in good repair - observed water filter leaking at the ice machine. Food workers not wearing hair restraints. Address: 1908 Walbert Ave., South Whitehall Township. Mold and mildew under prep equipment, in walk-in cooler and beverage cooler. Inspection notes: Assorted foods in the walk-in cooler stored open with no covering; assorted foods such as cheese, cooked meat, eggs were held at 47-50 degrees Fahrenheit in the prep unit on cookline, rather than 41 degrees or below as required; deli slicer observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch; handwash sink in the kitchen area was blocked by cleaning equipment in sink and not accessible at all times for employee use. throughout facility. Peeling paint and loose dust on the ceiling above the pizza prep bain marie. Employees seen working with exposed foods with fingernail polish and/or artificial fingernails. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. To read full reports on each inspection, visit. There are stained ceiling tiles throughout the facility. Hood dirty, grease filters missing. (COMING SOON: LEHIGH VALLEY RESTAURANTS WITH NO HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS IN 2019). Results of food safety inspections in Lehigh and Northampton counties for the week of January 7-13. . Kelly McEwan | For lehighvalleylive.comKelly McEwan | For lehighvalleylive.com, Address: 7720 Main St. Unit 7, Upper Macungie Township. Inspection notes: Employee was observed going between cleaning and food preparation while wearing the same gloves; employee observed handling raw animal proteins then touching ready-to-eat foods while wearing the same gloves; bottled beverages stored in ice used as an ingredient in drinks; pizza stored in the kitchen beside the pizza oven without temperature control or records of cooking time or discard time; mop stored so that the head is stored directly on top of a box of bamboo skewers and condiment packages. Restaurant's response: Did not respond to messages or an email by deadline. Response: An employee who answered the phone said they were too busy to address the inspection violations. Each inspection report is a "snapshot" of conditions present at the time of the inspection. -Deli meats and cheeses and other prepared products that are kept for more than 24 hours are not being date marked. ", Jan Somma-Hammel | Staten Island Advance file photo, Address: 2880 Center Valley Road, Upper Saucon Township. Employees failed to wash hands, lacked hair and beard nets. Buildup of old food on slicer, around fryers, refrigerator and floor under stoves. Container of raw meat stored in contact with cheese container and above cilantro; containers of plantains and green bananas were stored on the floor. Corrected. Once again, lehighvalleylive.com crunched the numbers to see who had the most violations in 2019 and find out what they did to correct problems, both big and small. (See the 2018 results.). The violations listed here are those that are classified as Foodborne Illness Risk Factors and Public Health Interventions, which can result in illness if not corrected. The inspections cover restaurants, cafeterias, food markets, processors and other food establishments. Description: Observed various foods stored directly on the floor throughout the entire kitchen area and the walk-in cooler. Bar soda gun nozzle, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and mold-like build-up. Food workers not wearing hair restraints. "That's one of the things with the public that when you say, 'Oh you have a number of violations,' then people say, 'Oh this isn't a safe place to eat.' Date: 8/2/18. That means multiple people on every shift are watching for possible issues, Palmer said. -The handwash sink behind the front counter does not have water at a temperature of at least 100 degrees F. Fix the hand sink so that water with a temperature of at least 100 degrees F is available at all times. -Old food residue, dishes and utensils observed in the handwash sink, indicating uses other than handwashing at the downstairs bar area. Reheat the chicken to 165F immediately. -Various cut vegetables food was held at between 47 and 51 degrees F, in the front counter area, rather than 41 degrees F or below as required. Label all food with the name of the food and the date on which it was prepared. The city tells me I got to do it, I got to do it, he says. Corrected. -Food employee was going to wash hands at the prep sink rather than the designated hand wash sink. ", (SEE THE 2017 RESTAURANT VIOLATIONS LIST). A temperature of 146F was registered on a maximum registering thermometer. The inspections cover restaurants, cafeterias, food markets, processors and other food establishments. Keep all potentially . The Allentown Health Bureau licenses and inspects all retail food establishments in the City of Allentown including restaurants, caterers, markets, convenience stores, clubs, mobile food vehicles, temporary food stands, non-profit food facilities, churches, food banks, food vending machines and anywhere food is sold or distributed to the end consumer. Gap in rear door does not protect against insects or rodents. Restaurant response: Everything identified by inspectors has been corrected, owner Eddie Lozano said, though he added that perhaps they should have been fixed faster. Thermometer was inactive, dirty and not easily found. of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection database, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Description: Firm making various claims on menu (organic, antibiotic-free, gluten-free) and having no documentation to verify claim. Easily observable condensate dripping from greens keeper directly into sliced onion on sandwich station bain marie. Malodorous slime and ponding moisture under the the cutting block on the sandwich bain marie. Black mold on ice machine discharge chute. Do not use this unit until it can maintain temperatures below 41F. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. There are other violations not listed here that are classified under Good Retail Practices. Visit the link above to see the full list of violations among all categories. Roaches in all stages of life cycle observed under metal sheeting/shelving area behind three bay sink, under back splash to three bay sink and scrap out area at ware washer and on inverted milk crate used for heavily soiled food processor. Food buildup seen on cutting blocks, cutting boards and other food prep surfaces. The calls were not returned. Evidence of roach feces on walls on food boxes, etc. Here are the results of food safety inspections in Lehigh and Northampton counties for the week of Oct. 28 to Nov. 3. he asked. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Listed compliance status with retail food license requirements is as of Friday, Feb. 21, 2020.
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