McLean Restaurant Inspections: 9 Critical Violations at Seafood Restaurant

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.

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.

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.

McCormick and Schmick's Seafood Restaurant, 8484 West Park Dr.

• Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete.
• Critical: A food handler was observed drinking from an uncovered beverage container while in the kitchen.
• Critical: A food employee failed to wash his or her hands before engaging in food preparation, after touching bare human body parts, after coughing, sneezing, eating, after handling soiled utensils, or after engaging in any activity that could contaminate the hands.
• Critical: Food employee(s) was observed handling the following ready-to-eat foods using their bare hands.
• Critical: Tomato sauce cans that were damaged were being used.
• Critical: Raw tuna, cooked crab and raw grilled scallops were stored above ready to eat food in the refridgerator.
• Critical: Unwrapped or uncovered food was found where the food is subject to contamination.
• Critical: Pasta and chicken wings were not being adequately chilled after prepartion.
• Critical: Working containers of poisonous and toxic materials are not properly labeled with a common name.

Maggiano's Little Italy, inside Tysons Galleria

• Critical: Open drinking containers stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils.
• Critical: A food employee was observed handling bread using their bare hands.
• Critical: Due to improper operation of the hot water, both upstairs and downstairs mechanical warewashing machine, the thermolabel did not turn black, indicating that food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils are not being adequately sanitized.
• Critical: Sliced tomatoes, cooked mushrooms, cooked pasta, caesar dressing, cooked chicken, roasted garlic, and other food items were found holding at unsafe temperatures.
• Note: The "inspection was to conduct a Risk Factor Assessment in conjunction with a food borne illness complaint investigation."

Read up on past McLean restaurant inspection reports here.

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