Shrimp Thawing In Stagnant Water At McLean Restaurant: Inspection

MCLEAN, VA — As the Fairfax County Health Department regularly inspects restaurants in the McLean area, we continue to look at the latest inspection results.

The health department's environmental health staff inspect over 5,200 restaurants and other retail food service establishments in Fairfax County and cities of Falls Church and Fairfax to ensure safe food handling practices are followed. This includes proper sanitation, food storage and preparation, and adequate kitchen facilities. Aside from restaurants, staff inspect child care centers, hospitals, school cafeterias, and temporary food service vendors at festivals.

During a recent inspection of one McLean restaurant, a food employee cracked eggs and didn’t wash hands and change gloves before handling sausages.

To correct the violation, the manager explained the handwashing requirements to the employee and reheated the sausages to 188F.

Residents can search for a specific restaurant or browse a map of inspected locations through the online database. The health department cautions residents that multiple inspection reports should be used to evaluate a restaurant rather than a single report.

This week's report focuses on reports on inspections conducted during June.

McLean Family Restaurant

1321 Chain Bridge Road, McLean

Inspection Date: June 4, 2024

• Observation: A food employee failed to wash his or her hands before engaging in food preparation, after touching bare human body parts, after coughing, sneezing, eating, after handling soiled utensils, or after engaging in any activity that could contaminate the hands. A food employee cracked eggs and didn’t wash hands and change gloves before handling sausages. Corrective Action: All food employees shall wash their hands often especially after handling trash, using the restroom, handling raw meats, handling soiled equipment and utensils, before putting on clean gloves, etc. Proper handwashing frequencies will aid in the reduction of foodborne illness. Certified food manager educated the food employee and sausages were reheated to 188F.
• Observation: The following food item(s) were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: (1) beef stroganoff (43-46F) was stored in superior 2-door upright cooler overnight, (2) cole slaw (42-44F) was stored in Delfield 2-door prep cooler overnight. Corrective Action: Time/temperature control for safety food shall be held cold at a temperature of 41F or below unless the permit holder is using 'time as public health control as specified under section 3-501.19 to limit bacteria growth. Food items discarded.
• Observation: The following cooked time/temperature control for safety food(s) are not being adequately cooled from 135F to 70F within two hours. Corned beef hash (78F) was stored in 2-door flat top cooler for more than 2 hours. Corrective Action: Time/temperature control for safety foods shall be cooled from 135F.
• Observation: The following food item(s) were observed hot holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: Mashed potato (131F) was stored on steam table for about 1.3 hours. Corrective Action: Time/temperature conrol for safety food shall be held hot at a temperature of 135F or above unless the permit holder is using 'time as the public health control' as specified under 3-501.19. Certified food manager reheated the food to 166F.
• Observation: The following refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41F: Ambient temperature of Superior 2-door upright cooler ranged from 42F to 50F during inspection. Corrective Action: Repair/adjust the unit so it is able to maintain foods at or below 41F. Do not use the unit to store time/temperature control for safety foods while it is not operating properly. Please obtain urgent service for this cooler and relocate or discard the TCS food in this cooler per storage time.

Otosan Ramen

6813 Elm St., McLean

Inspection Date: June 6, 2024

• Observation: The following food item(s) were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: Bean sprout was stored in avantco 1-door upright cooler overnight, (2) tempura (44-59F), fried chicken (56f, cooked dumpling (47F) Were stored in avantco 2-door prep cooler overnight. Corrective Action: Time/temperature control for safety food shall be held cold at a temperature of 41F or below unless the permit holder is using 'time as public health control as specified under section 3-501.19 to limit bacteria growth. Food items discarded.
• Observation: The handwashing facility located at the kitchen is blocked by a big trash bin, preventing access by employees for easy handwashing. Corrective Action: A hand washing sink shall be maintained so that it is accessible at all times for employee use. Trash bin relocated.
• Observation: Observed the following food thawing using an improper method: Shrimp was thawing in stagnant water at 3-compartment sink. Corrective Action: Time/temperature control for safety food shall be thawed using one of the following methods: 1) under refrigeration that maintains the food temperature at 41F or less, 2) completely submerged under running water at a water temperature of 70F or below with a sufficient velocity to agitate and float off loose particles of food as long as held for period of time at a temperature of 41F or less, or 3) as part of a cooking process if the food is cooked as specified by Law or thawed in a microwave oven and immediately transferred to a conventional cooking process. Shrimp relocated to reach-in cooler.
• Observation: Employees observed working in the food service area without proper hair restraints. Corrective Action: Food employees shall wear hair restraints such as hats, visors, hair nets or beard nets to effectively keep their hair from contacting exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, and unwrapped single-service items. This section does not apply to food employees such as counter staff who only serve beverages and wrapped or packaged foods, hostesses, and wait staff.
• Observation: The following refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41F: Ambient temperature of Avantco 1-door upright cooler was 44F during inspection. Corrective Action: Repair/adjust the unit so it is able to maintain foods at or below 41F. Do not use the unit to store time/temperature control for safety foods while it is not operating properly. Please obtain urgent service and forward the service report to EHS within 10 calendar days.

Westgate Child Center

1613 Great Falls St., McLean

Inspection Date: June 21, 2024

• Observation: The handwashing sink at kitchen is equipped with separate cold and hot water faucets rather than a mixing valve or combination faucet. Hot water temperature at hand sink in the kitchen was 97F. Corrective Action: A handwashing sink shall be equipped to provide water at a temperature of at least 100F through a mixing valve or combination faucet. Please obtain urgent service for the hand sink and forward the service report to ehs within 10 calendar days.
• Observation: There is no test kit located in the facility for monitoring the concentration of the chemical sanitizing solutions. Corrective Action: Obtain a beach test kit.

Wegman's Food Court

1835 Capital One Drive, McLean

Inspection Date: June 24, 2024

• Observation: The following food item(s) were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: cooked tofu and salmon were stored in continental prep cooler (sushi boh3) overnight. Corrective Action: Time/temperature control for safety food shall be held cold at a temperature of 41F or below unless the permit holder is using 'time as public health control as specified under section 3-501.19 to limit bacteria growth. CFM discarded or relocated TCS food items per storage time.
• Observation: The following refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41F: Continental prep cooler (sushi boh3). Corrective Action: Repair/adjust the unit so it is able to maintain foods at or below 41F. Do not use the unit to store time/temperature control for safety foods while it is not operating properly.

Nordstrom Marketplace Cafe

8075 Tysons Corner Center, McLean

Inspection Date: June 28, 2024

• Observation: Wet wiping cloth buckets improperly stored. Corrective Action: Wet wiping cloth buckets containing chemical sanitizing solutions shall not be stored on the floor. The wet towel buckets shall also be used in a manner that prevents contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single service items.

Other Inspections:

Parasite Destruction In Fish Uncertain Without Supplier Confirmation