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.
McDonald's on Dayton Blvd., Bar Louie and Geeges Deli & Bakery also received citations in this week's report card, but all three scored above an 86.
11 restaurants earned a perfect score this week:
- 100 Wendy's, 418 Cumberland Avenue
- 100 Burger King, 6236 Lee Highway
- 100 Wendy's, 9362 Dayton Pike
- 100 Casual Pint, 5550 Highway 153
- 100 Bojangles, 7987 East Brainerd Road
- 100 Smoothie King, 1913 Gunbarrel Road
- 100 Grilled Cheese Emergency, 2213 Polymer Drive
- 100 Thai Tea, 66 Angel Oak Way
- 100 Chick-N-Nooga, 408 Fern Trail
- 100 Starbucks, 2217 Hamilton Place Blvd.
- 100 2 Sons, 422 E MLK Blvd.
Reports 5.5.17
School Facilities: 95 Berean Academy 41 Berean Lane 96 McCallie School 500 Dodds Avenue 99 Bright School 1950 Hixson Pike 100 Notre Dame High School 2701 Vermont Avenue 100 Brainerd High School 1020 N. Moore Road School Cafeterias: 99 Bright School 1950 Hixson Pike 100 Notre Dame High School 2701 Vermont Avenue 100 Berean Academy 41 Berean Lane Hotels: 91 La Quinta Inn 7015 Shallowford Road 96 Hampton Inn 7013 Shallowford Road 98 Comfort Inn & Suites 2341 Shallowford Road Restaurants: 70 Soho Hibachi 1014 Battlefield Pkwy.; reasons including extremely 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 and evidence of pests, mold-like build-up is visible between the vegetable sink and shelving units and can't be properly cleaned because of material that is used, food being heated and cooled at improper temperatures. 73 Station House 123 N. Chattanooga Street, LaFayette; reasons including employee change tasks with gloves so the gloves were removed but no hand washing took place, employee handle a sandwich barehanded, bags of deli meats in food bags not date marked and raw meat stored on the floor. 82 El Meson 2204 Hamilton Place Blvd.; reasons including several surfaces dirty in kitchen, plastic bags used as sink stoppers, grease build up on wall and ceiling, pans stacked wet on shelves, pipes leaking below dishwasher, poor ventilation. Corrected to 92. 86 El Metate 9332 Dayton Pike; reasons including no sanitizer in dishwasher, employees with dirty aprons, dirty wiping cloths on counter (customer complaint that illness was caused after eating beef tacos). Corrected to 96. 87 Bar Louie 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd.; reasons including gaskets in poor repair on equipment, no soap at hand sink. 88 McDonald's 2003 Dayton Blvd.; reasons including raw eggs stored over lettuce, ice scoop stored in in ice machine, wet wiping cloths not stored in sanitizer buckets, multiple dirty surfaces. 89 Geeges Deli & Bakery 4717 Highway 58; reasons including hood with excessive grease, food debris build up around and under units. 93 Sunset BBQ 964 Dodson Avenue 93 Mellow Mushroom 2318 Lifestyle Way 93 Big Chill 103 Cherokee Blvd. 94 Countryside Cafe 8223 Mahan Gap Road 94 Armando's 4783 Highway 58 94 Hooter's Restaurant 5912 Brainerd Road 95 Las Margaritas II 460 Skyview Drive 95 Fuji Steakhouse 5437 Highway 153 95 Cheddar's 2014 Gunbarrel Road 96 Main Street Meats 217 Main Street 96 Great Wraps 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd. 96 Firehouse Subs 1820 Gunbarrel Road 97 Waffle House 102 Signal Mountain Road 97 Big River 2020 Hamilton Place Blvd. 97 Mexi Wings VII 5733 Brainerd Road 97 McAlister's 541 Signal Mountain Blvd. 98 Armando's 4783 Highway 58 98 Huddle House 9401 Reco Drive 98 Hibachi Express 7401 East Brainerd Road 98 Little Caesar's 7601 East Brainerd Road 98 Hardee's 9398 Reco Drive 98 Momo Hibachi 9332 Dayton Pike 98 The Local Juicery & Kitchen 48 E. Main Street 99 Ankar's 5018 Hixson Pike 99 Local Slice 113 Hill Road 99 Outback Steakhouse 501 Northgate 99 KFC 7428 East Brainerd Road 99 Dunkin Donuts 5311 Highway 153 99 Dave's Spiced Right BBQ 12914 Highway 58 100 Wendy's 418 Cumberland Avenue 100 Burger King 6236 Lee Highway 100 Wendy's 9362 Dayton Pike 100 Casual Pint 5550 Highway 153 100 Bojangles 7987 East Brainerd Road 100 Smoothie King 1913 Gunbarrel Road 100 Grilled Cheese Emergency 2213 Polymer Drive 100 Thai Tea 66 Angel Oak Way 100 Chick-N-Nooga 408 Fern Trail 100 Starbucks 2217 Hamilton Place Blvd. 100 2 Sons 422 E MLK Blvd.