McLean Restaurant Inspections: Bakery Cited for Seven Critical Health Violations

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.

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, inside Tysons Corner Center

• Critical: Plates and slicing discs were observed to be soiled.
• Critical: Black beans and mushrooms were being held at unsafe temperatures.
• Critical: Cubed Mozzerella, half and half and milk were being held cold at unsafe temperatures.

Williams Sonoma, inside Tysons Corner Center

• Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete.
• Critical: The inspector observed raw shell eggs holding over tortilla wraps and carrots.

Williams Sonoma, inside Tysons Galleria

• No critical violations

The Westin Tysons Corner, 7801 Leesburg Pike

• Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete.

Warren Cafe, 8000 Westpark Dr.

• Critical: A food employee was observed handling a tortilla wrap using his or her bare hands.
• Critical: The inspector observed raw shell eggs stored over ready to eat tomatoes and sour cream.
• Critical: "The following raw and/or undercooked foods are provided on the menu, menu board, table tent or brochure without proper disclosure: Eggs"

Stafford Cafe, 1500 West Branch Dr.

• Critical: Blueberry yogurt, cream cheese and cheddar cheese and slice provolone were being held at unsafe temperatures.

Gloucester Cafe, 1517 West Branch Dr.

• No critical violations

Corner Bakery Cafe, inside Tysons Galleria

• Critical: Liquid egg and cream cheese were being held at unsafe temperatures.

Wildfire, inside Tysons Galleria

• Critical: "The date when the last shellstock from the container is sold or served is not recorded on the tag or label."

P.F. Chang's, inside Tysons Galleria

• Critical: "Due to improper operation of the hot water, mechanical warewashing machine, the thermo label did not turn black, indicating that food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils are not being adequately sanitized."
• Critical: The plates were not observed sanitized.

Fuel Energy Cafe, 1800 Old Meadow Road

• Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete.
• Critical: Brown rice and ground beef were being held at improper temperatures.
• Critical: Brown rice, ground beef and cooked chicken were not being used or discarded within 24 hours of preparation.
• A follow-up inspection on Nov. 5 indicated all critical violations had been corrected.

Firehook Bakery, 1800 Tysons Blvd.

• Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete.
• Critical: The food contact end of the can opener was dirty.
• Critical: The inspector observed turkey chili being held at an unsafe temperature.
• Critical: Turkey salad, tuna salad, shredded cheddar cheese and milk were being held at unsafe temperatures.
• Critical: Tuna salad and chicken salad were not being used or discarded with 24 hours.
• Critical: "Employees' medicines are not properly located to prevent contamination of food and food contact surfaces."
• Critical: The concentration of quaternary ammonia solution was too strong to be safe for use with food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils in a foodservice establishment.