Politics & Government

McLean Restaurant Inspections: Local Coffee Shop Cited for Multiple Critical Violations

In this column, Patch publishes the latest round of McLean restaurant reports.

In Virginia, restaurant inspection reports aren't quite as simple as getting a letter grade or an easy-to-see number rating to post in the front window.

That said, we all want to know how our favorite restaurants stack up on cleanliness and sanitation.

In Fairfax County, inspectors from the Virginia Department of Health grade restaurants based on critical and non-critical violations.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A "critical violation" is one that "poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served." Non-critical violations are generally related to cleaning or maintenance.

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," according to Virginia Department of Health's website.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The site continues: "Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long term cleanliness of an establishment."

Since our last round-up, the following McLean restaurants have been inspected by the Virginia Department of Health. The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

Java Works, 8255 Greensboro Dr.

  • Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete.
  • Critical: Cut canteloupe and milk were being held at unsafe temperatures.
  • Critical: Pesticides labeled for residential use were observed in the facility and are being applied by the operator to control pests.
  • Critical: The concentration of the chlorine solution measured above 200 ppm in a wet wiping bucket. This concentration exceeds the approved limits for use with food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils in a foodservice establishment.
  • Critical: Employees' medicines are not properly located to prevent contamination of food and food contact surfaces.
  • Critical: Hardboiled egg, cooked chicken and and sliced tomato were being held at unsafe temperatures.

Flik 8000 Cafe, 8000 Jones Branch Dr.

  • Critical: Corned beef hash, potato wedges and scrambled eggs were being held at unsafe temperatures.
  • Critical: Milk was being held at an unsafe temperature. 

Sizzling Express VIII, 8444 West Park Dr, Unit 110

  • Critical: The person in charge (PIC) has a valid certificate of successful completion of a Certified Food Manager (CFM) exam but does not possess the CFM card issued by ORS Interactive, Inc.
  • Critical: Grilled chicken was observed at an unsafe temperature.
  • Critical: Canteloupe, cottage cheese, honeydew melon and tuna salad were observed at an unsafe temperature.
  • Critical: The person in charge is not able to provide written procedures for the use of time as a public health control with the following potentially hazardous food item(s): Buffet and salad bar food items.

Read up on past McLean restaurant inspection reports here.

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