Two Chattanooga area restaurants nearly failed their health inspection this week as the health inspector found pests, dirt build-up and raw meat stored on the floor.
The Soho Hibachi in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. was one point away from failing this week’s health inspection – any score below a 70 is considered failing – as the restaurant barely passed with a 70.
Steak & shrimp hibachi at Soho Hibachi. (Photo by Mark Gilliland)
Station House of LaFayette’s Crab Cakes special, left, and French Chicken Salad Croissant. (Chris Zelk)The health inspector found evidence of pests, a heavy build-up of dirt, food and other debris on all floors and walls, as well as under and behind all equipment, holes in the walls, mold-like build-up was visible between the vegetable sink and shelving units and can’t be properly cleaned because of the material that is used and food being heated and cooled at improper temperatures.
Station House was just four points away from failing with a 73. The restaurant was cited for employees changing tasks with gloves so the gloves were removed but employees did not wash their hands, an employee also handled a sandwich barehanded, bags of deli meats were in food bags that did not have a date marked and raw meat was stored on the floor.
Fish tacos at El Meson. (Photo by Mark Gilliland)El Meson wasn’t a near-failure, but the restaurant was cited for severals surfaces dirty in the kitchen, plastic bags used as sink stoppers, grease build up on the wall and ceiling, pans stacked on wet shelves, poor ventilation and pipes leaking below the dishwasher. El Meson initially scored an 82, but the score was later corrected to a 96.