Several Chattanooga restaurants were cited for a variety of reasons in this week's restaurant report card.
Dos Amigo's Mexican Restaurant at 3208 Amnicola Highway received a score of 71 after an inspection found that staff members were untrained on when to wash their hands. The restaurant also had a broken dish machine, no cold water at the handwashing sink and no thermometer in the walk-in cooler. The inspector noted that a screen door needed repairing and multiple walls were damaged.
Staff at Kumo One at 6025 East Brainerd Road contributed to a score of 81 when they were found to be using a dish machine without soap. They were also cited for improper food temperatures and a sushi chef using gloved hands - instead of utensils - to scoop ingredients for sushi rolls.
The Sonic on Cummings Highway got a score of 82 when an inspection found several dirty surfaces in the food prep area and improper cleaning. A leak was noted, as well as a whipped topping found to be kept 12 degrees above the maximum temperature allowance.
Abuelos Mexican Food Embassy located at 2102 Hamilton Place Blvd. was dinged down to a score of 82 due to an employee handling food with bare hands and vegetables being packed into bags with bare hands. Washed dishes were found being stored wet and raw chicken was being kept over a white sauce in a cooler.
The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department inspects restaurants twice a year and grades the businesses on a 100-point scale. Scores below 70 require corrective action.
Restaurants are reinspected if they fail to meet critical standards. To file a health-related complaint, call the Department of Environmental Health at 209-8110. The scores are original and do not reflect on-the-spot changes, which sometimes lead to upward adjustments.
No failures reported for the week ending June 5, 2019:
71 Dos Amigo's Mexican Restaurant
3208 Amnicola Highway
Reasons including dish machine not working, staff not checking, no cold water at hand sink not able to wash hands, staff not trained on when to wash hands. Dish washer returned to kitchen from outside failed to wash hands. No cold water at one, sink in grill area had pan in sink. No thermometer in walk in cooler. Screen door bad repair, screen not fully in place, will allow flies and rodents to enter kitchen when outside door left open. Walls in beverage area damaged.
81 Kumo One
6025 E Brainerd Road
Reasons including staff not familiar with proper cold
holding temps, no soap at dish machine, but was being used. Soap not loaded in dish machine
was empty, machine in use. Salads above 50, raw meat 50. Sushi chef using gloved hands to
scoop crumbs, wasabi, ingredients used to complete sushi rolls. Need to use utensils when
scooping from containers of ingredients to avoid cross contamination. Ice scoop handle down
in ice.
82 Sonic
3222 Cummings Highway
Reasons including numerous surfaces soiled/dirty in prep/cookline areas. Adequate cleaning/sanitizing frequency not provided. Whipped topping holding at 53*F at ice cream station. Must be 41*F or below. Clean dishes stored on dirty surfaces. Non sewage leak noted from T&S nozzle at triple sink. Floors dirty behind/underneath equipment and in walk in freezer.
82 Abuelos Mexican Food Embassy
2102 Hamilton Place Blvd.
Reasons including employee was prepping and handling food bare handed. Packing vegetables bare handed into bags. Raw chicken was stored over a white sauce in a reach in cooler. Ice scoop was stored with handle in ice under fountain drink machine. Dishes were washed and stored wet nested.
90 Mrs B's Reggae Cafe
3103 South Broad Street
90 Boathouse Grill
1459 Riverside Drive
90 Mr T's Pizza Llc
3924 Tennessee Avenue
94 Wimpie's
9826 Dayton Pike
94 Portofino's
6407 Ringgold Road
96 Blue Orleans Creole Restaurant
1463 Market Street
97 Firehouse Subs
6025 East Brainerd Road
97 Sugar's Ribs
2450 15th Avenue
97 Sbarro #191
2100 Hamilton Place Blvd.
98 Back Inn Cafe
412 E. Second Street
98 Cici's Pizza
2260 Gunbarrel Road
99 Steak N Shake
5118 Hixson Pike
100 Central Park
5119 Hixson Pike
100 Baskin Robbins
2100 Hamilton Place Blvd.
100 Charley's Grilled Subs
2100 Hamilton Place Blvd.
100 O' Charley's
2340 Shallowford Village Drive
100 I Love Tacos
402 N Lovell Avenue
100 Gipsy Gourmet, LLC
1309 Taft Highway