‘White mold-like substance,’ improper temps. These Macon restaurants fail inspections
A container of cucumbers with a “white mold-like substance” contributed to a Macon restaurant failing its routine inspection in April, while another failed in part due to incorrect food temperatures food safety.
Subway at 630 North Macon Avenue received a “U” for “unsatisfactory compliance” with a score of 64 at its routine inspection April 27, according to what was reported in the state health department’s online portal.
The restaurant’s required followup inspection report was not included in what was reported in the portal early Wednesday.
The Juicy Crab at 168 Tom Hill Sr. Blvd., Suite 20, also received a “U” with a score of 69 at its routine inspection April 3. The restaurant bounced back with a perfect score of 100 for an “A” for “food safety excellence” at its required follow-up inspection April 13.
Environmental health inspectors assign grades based on how many points are deducted from 100, with scores of 69 and below considered failing. Follow-up inspections are required when a restaurant fails its routine inspection and usually take place within 10 days.
Failing grades
During the April 27 routine inspection of the Subway on North Avenue, an Environmental Health inspector observed the container of cucumbers with a white mold-like substance that should have been discarded by its use-by date the previous day, according to the inspection report.
Also, a two-hour window had expired for food safety to reheat meatballs that were in hot holding, according to the report.
Additionally, a container of rotisserie chicken with a discard date three days prior to the inspection had not been tossed out, the inspector found.
Other violations included hot water at a hand sinking sink not at the required temperature and no verifiable means of employee health reporting, according to the report.
At its last four routine inspections, the restaurant earned “A’s” with scores of 90 on Sept. 8, 2022, 94 on Feb. 8, 2022, 90 on April 16, 2021 and 96 on Aug. 26, 2020, according to what was reported in the online portal.
During the April 3 routine inspection of The Juicy Crab, the environmental health inspector saw a pot of raw chicken stored above raw shrimp in a prep cooler for the frying station, creating the potential for cross contamination, according to the inspection report.
Also, partially-cooked chicken wings also were above the required temperature for food safety after two hours of cooling, the inspector found.
Another violation: fruit flies in bar areas of the restaurant, according to the report.
The inspector also observed “accumulation” inside a soda gun in a bar area, with equipment required to be cleaned periodically to “preclude accumulation of soil or mold,” the report said.
Other violations included cutting surfaces in need of cleaning/resurfacing and a prep cooler for frying station with standing water in the bottom.
On prior routine inspections, the restaurant earned an “A” with a score of 95 on Aug. 31, 2022, a “B” with a score of 83 on Aug. 11, 2021 and an “A” with a score of 95 on Aug. 31, 2020, according to what was reported in the online portal.
Other Bibb restaurant scores
Meanwhile, most other restaurants in Macon-Bibb County earned “A’s” on their routine inspections from April 1 to April 30, including more than a dozen that aced them with perfect scores of 100.
Thirteen other Bibb restaurants received “B’s,” while five restaurants earned “C’s.”
Here are the restaurants and bars that earned perfect scores on their routine inspections:
Biddy’s, 946 First Street
Burger King, 853 Riverside Drive
Churchills on Cherry, 557 Cherry Street, Suite 200
Harp & Bowl LaBistro, 520 Mulberry St.
Hong Kong Restaurant, 5936 Zebulon Road
Hotel Forty Five, 401 Cotton Ave.
JBA, 425 Cherry St.
Joe D’s on Ingleside, 2329 Ingleside Avenue
Krystal, 892 Riverside Drive
La Bella Morelia, 542 Mulberry St. (base of operations and food truck)
Little Caesars, 1502 Rocky Creek Road
Natalia’s, 201 North Main St.
Olive Garden, 4950 Riverside Drive
Shurling Seafood, 737 Shurling Drivehe Hous
Specialties of the House, 5707 Rivoli Drive
Tropical Flava, 2396 Ingleside Ave.
Additionally, Wild Wing Cafe, 5080 Riverside Drive, Suite 100, scored at 100 on its required follow-up inspection April 5 after failing its routine inspection in March.
How it works
State Environmental Health inspectors assign grades based on how many points are deducted from 100, with scores at 69 and below considered failing. An “A” is given for a score between 90 to 100 and denotes “food safety excellence.” A score of 80 to 89 is considered “satisfactory compliance” for a grade of “B,” while a “C” is given for “marginal compliance” based on a score of 70-79. A “U” for “unsatisfactory compliance” is given when a restaurant scores 69 or less.
Restaurant inspections are designed to protect public health. The Telegraph reviews inspection reports monthly and generally reports only the best and the worst scores.
