Seven Hampton restaurants receive health inspections

Seven Hampton restaurants or food service operations underwent routine health inspections Sept. 19.

Pizza Hut Delivery No. 4553, 2724 W. Mercury Blvd., was cited with nine noncritical violations. The violations were, according to the report: "The person in charge has attended a food safety course but has not registered with the city; the vegetable slicer in the dough room has old food particles on its surfaces; there is no refuse container at the area immediately adjacent to the back hand sink; the mop not in use was found stored on the floor; multiple light fixtures throughout the facility are missing their protective shielding; there isn't a "No Smoking" sign posted at the entrance to the facility." Additionally, physical facilities and equipment are in need of cleaning and in poor repair.

Cary School, 2009 Andrews Blvd., was cited with three noncritical violations. According to the report, the violations were: "In-use sugar scoop handle was lying in the bulk sugar; lighting insufficient in both storerooms; and the physical structures are in poor repair: 1) wall tile grout eroded at 2-compartment sink 2) wall tile grout eroded/wall tile cracked at employee restroom toilet stall, floor-wall juncture no longer sealed 3) heat vent cover corroded in toilet stall 4) grease trap lid corroded in dish room, holes in/around it 5) gap at floor-wall juncture right of hot water heater 6) gaps around electric wall panel."

Domino's Pizza No. 4304, 3003 W. Mercury Blvd., was cited with one critical and four noncritical violations. The critical violation, which is a repeat, reported that there is no hand washing sink in the sink area and that employees are using the washroom sink. The noncritical violations were reported as, "The small white containers used to store pizza toppings are scored and cracked; the large fork at the pizza oven is not being washed, rinsed and sanitized at least every four hours; the floor under the walk in shelving has old food accumulating on it; and the following physical facilities are in poor repair: the floor tile in the back area has multiple cracked/worn tiles; the baseboard at the back door is damaged; there are stained ceiling tiles in the mop room and employee wash room."

Bei Jing Express, 4020 W. Mercury Blvd., was cited with one critical and four noncritical violations. The repeat critical violation reported that containers of ready to eat food in the walk-in refrigerator were not labeled. According to the report, the noncritical violations were, "The back door has multiple small holes on it's lower surface; cardboard is being used at the wok line to rest spice/sauce bowls; the walk-in refrigerator shelving is rusted; and the following non food contact surfaces are dirty: the interior of the up right home style freezer; the make table door gaskets are moldy; the walk in gasket is moldy."

McDonald's No. 1796, 1131 W. Mercury Blvd., received two critical violations and 19 noncritical violations. According to the report, the critical violations, which were corrected during the inspection "observed employee putting head phones on headtouching cap and ears. Removed head phones and then went and handled food service equipment," and saw a canister of whipped topping sitting on a counter. Noncritical violations included, "Breakfast burrito mixture uncovered in walk in refrigeration unit ; thermometer in customer service line upright refrigeration unit observed at back of unit; sweeper missing rear exit door and gap between door and threshold is greater than 1/16 of an inch; numerous flies present; ice scoop handle laying on contents drive thru ice bin; oatmeal cups (boxed) on floor storeroom; multiple cracked and worn equipment observed clean equipment rack; gaskets split; caulk at three-compartment sink; mildewed sink on side wall; to serve fry fryer line is not sealed with wall; use of cardboard box with plastic bag as trash liner; self service beverage line garbage recess; melted handle spatula grill; interior panel ice machine lid cracked; ice scoop stored on top of dusty ice machine; labels not removed from containers (cheddar jack) which were cleaned; the refuse container used to store refuse/recyclables has no drain plug; floor dirty at drive thru window floor dirty at wall behind sugar palate storeroom ceiling tile over sandwich assembly line has splatter on it floor drain right of upright refrigeration unit/under wall mounted freezer is dirty; upright refrigeration unit light bulb missing," along with various repairs needed.

Hardee's No. 2817, 241 S. Mallory St., was cited with four critical and nine noncritical violations. The critical violations are reported as, "Employee adjusted baseball cap with gloved hand while preparing food; the quaternary sanitizer solution in the wiping cloth bucket (used for food contact surfaces) is too strong--exceeds 300 ppm; two cans of whipped cream are cold holding at improper temperatures; chemical spray bottle stored on food prep area between the microwave ovens." The noncritical violations are: "Facility lacks a Hampton Certified Food Manager; the methods used for cooling potentially hazardous foods (in the walk-in cooler) were not adequate; the pick up window is not self-closing; equipment is in poor repair; non-food contact surfaces are not clean; physical structures are not clean; physical structures are in poor repair; front cash counter-floor juncture is not sealed and debris, money, etc. are wedged in the gap.

Andrea's Pizza Shop Inc., 1114 W. Mercury Blvd., was cited with two critical and 17 noncritical violations. The critical violations are: "Metal cover plate on the sandwich prep unit ( cutting board ) is split on corners mixer bowl crimped on base; galvanized metal bucket used for pizza wedge." The noncritical violations included, "Thermometer not accurate in deli meat upright refrigeration unit thermometer not present dessert - dairy upright display refrigeration unit; barrels with dry goods left of can opener table are not labeled as to contents; use of souffle cup as a scoop in container or red pepper flakes; reuse of soft plastic containers; various repairs needed to equipment; handle of scraper/putty knife is melted; string and cardboard used at the right slicer ( home made solution to repair adjustment for thin and thick); compartment sink and combination handsink - mop sink unit are not sealed with the adjacent walls; wood pizza paddle is present (all wood); grease or oil from the mixer observed at the upper end of the spindle over the bowl; mixer dirty; unclean surfaces; unsealed wood panel located wall by deli meat upright refrigeration unit - electric panels; electric cord strung between hall cookline; lighting insufficient in the walk in refrigerator; wall and floor dirty behind cookline; and damage to the ceiling."

Inspections are scheduled to take place one to four times per year depending on variables such as menu complexity, how much food is made in advance versus cooked to order and how much food is made from raw products, according to the Virginia Department of Health website.

Violations are either critical, meaning that if left uncorrected they are more likely than other violations to directly contribute to food contamination, environmental degradation or illness, or noncritical, violations that are not directly related to causing food-borne illness.

This information was obtained from inspection reports from the Virginia Department of Health. To read the reports in full, go to www.vdh.state.va.us and select Restaurant Inspections in the Quick Links section, then Hampton. Enter the restaurant's name in the search field
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For more information, call the Hampton Health Division at 757-727-2570.   

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