Category Archives: Restaurant Inspection

Food porn and Idiocracy: Consumers vote with money, not science, as Fig & Olive packed weeks after Salmonella outbreak

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Fig & Olive sounds like a nightclub. It’s 6:30 p.m.

St. Tropez-inspired beats pound over the chattering of a stylish crowd in suits, leather jackets, and high heels. The Crate & Barrel-esque lounge at the CityCenter DC restaurant is packed. Even more people, martini glasses in tow, hover around the edges of the 25-seat, U-shaped bar.

idiocracy2What salmonella? On this recent Thursday, it’s as if the widely reported outbreak that sickened and hospitalized diners here in early September never happened.

Bar plans foiled, I ask about a table for two.

“We’re fully committed to reservations right now,” says the hostess.

I ask about the wait. She looks at her computer screen and contorts her face in all sorts of unpromising ways.

“Forty-five minutes.”

My husband and I wander around CityCenter DC for a bit. Centrolina, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, DBGB Kitchen and Bar, and Mango Tree all have seats available.

Forty-five minutes pass. No word from Fig & Olive. An additional 45 minutes pass. Still no word. We head back to check on the status of our table. Without explanation, the hostess fidgets with her computer some more, then finally leads us to the crowded dining room upstairs.

During the first few minutes of our dinner, the couple next to us sends an order of roasted potatoes back to the kitchen. Four women on our other side wait at least 10 minutes before the server even greets their table.

At our table, empty water glasses go unfilled for long stretches, and the staff fails to take away the appetizer plates before plopping the entrees on the table. Our server, though friendly, forgets my husband’s beer. Only after the main course arrives does he acknowledge the error and offer to remove the drink from the check. Even then, it’s not until our meal is nearly over that the beer actually arrives. It’s warm. The chicken is dried out, and the paella is fine but unmemorable. Our total for two appetizers and two entrees comes to $113.60 with tax and tip.

imrs.phpOn the way out, I spot one of the cast members from The Real Housewives of D.C.

It’s hard to say whether all these diners are very forgiving or merely ignorant of the salmonella outbreak that shut down the restaurant. As of Oct. 23, the D.C. Department of Health had confirmed 34 cases of the bacterial infection, which causes diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. It can be fatal. The agency interviewed an additional 209 people who dined at the establishment and reported illnesses—and that’s just in D.C. Fig & Olive also allegedly infected diners at its restaurants in West Hollywood and possibly New York, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to open a multi-state investigation into the restaurant chain.

Foodborne salmonella outbreaks are infrequent. This is only the fifth documented outbreak in D.C. in five years, according to DOH.

If the outbreak began with Fig & Olive, it now appears that some of these most recent salmonella cases could have been avoided: A hospital notified the D.C. Department of Health that multiple Fig & Olive diners had been sickened two days before health officials actually shut down the restaurant. In the interim, more people reported becoming ill. Some also alerted Fig & Olive to their food poisoning days before it was shut down. It’s unclear what the restaurant did to try to fix the problem before the health department intervened. Representatives for Fig & Olive declined to comment for this story.

idiocracyIn the aftermath of the outbreak, four local victims have filed lawsuits against Fig & Olive, with additional lawsuits coming out of California. One lawyer says he has as many as two dozen more coming; another says he has about 15 more clients.

A CDC spokesperson says the agency hasn’t identified the exact source of the infections. The D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences tested 84 environmental and food samples. So far, none have tested positive for salmonella, although it’s rare to isolate a particular ingredient in an outbreak. Health department officials say the common denominators among Fig & Olive’s victims include truffle mushroom croquettes and truffle fries. The restaurant has since removed all dishes with truffle oil from its menu.

The remainder of the story is excellent. Fancy food ain’t safe food. Check it out at  http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/47614/gut-reaction-fig-olive-is-packed-weeks-after-a-salmonella/

Apt name: 2 Hell’s Kitchen restaurants shuttered for rats and roaches

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DNA Info reports two neighborhood restaurants were temporarily shut down by the New York City Health Department for rats and roaches, according to city records.

hells.kitchen.1900McQuaids Public House, an Irish bar and restaurant at 589 Eleventh Ave., and the Vintner Cafe, an Italian joint at 671 Ninth Ave., were forced to close their doors for several days last week, according to records.

On Oct. 23, Health Department inspectors found evidence of a rats at the Vintner Cafe and temporarily barred the restaurant from dishing up its signatures sandwiches and salads. The cafe has been cited three times in the past for mice in the facility, but the rats were a new violation.

Vintner passed a subsequent inspection on Monday and was allowed to reopen with its grade pending, until further inspections prove it can keep its facility clean.

A manager at the cafe who would not give his name said the rats were only in a storage facility and that nearby construction had brought on the recent infestation. They’ve since hired an exterminator to take care of the problem, he said.

“There’s not food there or anything,” the manager said. “It was just that part. The rest was fine.”

At McQuaids Public House, health inspectors found roaches during an Oct. 20 visit, marking the fourth time the vermin were seen in the eatery in two years, according to health department records.

It was allowed to reopen with a pending grade after three subsequent inspections found workers had cleared up the problem.

A worker at McQuaids declined to comment.

No on-site public disclosure: Saskatchewan says it improves access to restaurant inspection info

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Do you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at your favourite eating establishment? Saskatchewan residents can find out by going to Inspection InSite – a website that shows public health inspector reports for about 5,000 public eateries including restaurants, fast food outlets, caterers, mobile food vendors, ice cream stands, public cafeterias, dining rooms and hospital kitchens.

The province began posting restaurant inspection information online in 2009. However, a new website is more user-friendly and provides more detailed information about infractions.

Tablet technology is replacing hand-written reports by public health inspectors, which eliminates the need for time-consuming transcription, brings more consistency to reporting, and allows real-time updates to the website, Health Minister Dustin Duncan said Tuesday. Since the new electronic system began at the end of March, about 60 per cent of food service facilities have been inspected.

Food safety sucks in some S. Aust. day and agedcare centres

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Eleven daycare centres were among more than 800 food preparation places issued warning notices under food safety laws last year.

dirty.jobs.daycare.e.coliThirteen aged care sites were also given written warnings in 2014-15 because of food safety concerns.

SA Health data from local council inspections shows that more than 9000 food businesses across the state were checked. The vast majority were given approval.

Health Minister Jack Snelling said under the SA Health Food Act Report in 2014-15, local government environmental health officers issued food businesses with 803 written warnings, 328 improvement notices, 114 expiation notices and four prohibition orders.

“Three businesses were prosecuted and found guilty of breaches under the Food Act 2001,” Mr Snelling said.

These businesses were Champion Bakery at Port Wakefield, fined a total of $171,000; Omega Foods at Hindmarsh ($71,000); and Garam Masala Indian Cuisine Dernancourt ($6660).

Mr Snelling noted that businesses are stepping up to new laws.

“What is pleasing to see is that overall the great majority of South Australian food businesses that were inspected complied with food safety standards,” he said.

SA Health Director of Food and Controlled Drugs Dr Fay Jenkins said the public had an important role to play in alerting authorities to potential food safety issues.

“Councils received 1082 complaints and reports from the public, which resulted in 640 inspections,” Dr Jenkins said.

“Of the complaints, the highest percentage related to staff personal hygiene or food handling, unclean premises and pest infestation.

“I encourage anyone with concerns about hygiene or food safety practices in a food business to contact their council who will ensure the matter is investigated and rectified.

Everyone has a camera.

Couple awarded $11.4 million for Cheyenne restaurant Salmonella poisoning

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A federal judge in Casper, Wyoming, awarded a Nebraska couple nearly $11.4 million in damages after they ate at a buffet restaurant in Cheyenne in Oct. 2010 and the husband was poisoned with Salmonella, according to court records reported by KGAB.

Old+Country+Buffet“He (Christopher Gage) has undergone numerous surgeries and procedures in an attempt to ease his pain and discomfort,” U.S. District Court Judge Scott Skavdahl wrote

“He is in daily pain. He cannot eat or drink water without vomiting. In fact, the testimony is that Mr Gage vomits eighty-five to ninety percent of the time when he eats or drinks. His mobility has been taken from him. He falls on an almost daily basis, which has caused him to break bones. He requires a cane, walker, or wheelchair for mobility, depending on how debilitating his condition is on any given day. His cognitive functioning has been significantly impacted. His relationship with his wife and son have been adversely affected,” Skavdahl wrote.

Christopher and Heather Gage ate at the Old Country Buffet formerly located on Dell Range Boulevard on Oct. 1, a day after the Laramie County Health Department had cited it for numerous code violations.

“Over the following days, Mr. (Christopher) Gage’s symptoms progressed to include abdominal cramping, diarrhea, dehydration, vomiting, fever, sepsis, acute kidney failure, acute lactic acidosis, adrenal crisis, anemia, thromocytopenia and atrial fibrillation,” according to the complaint.

During the entire case, Ovation Brands did not respond to the Gages’ lawsuit or defend itself in court.

Ovation Brands has operated other restaurants including Hometown Buffet, which had been at the Eastridge Mall.

In August, Ovation Brands was bought by Food Management Partners of San Antonio, Texas.

The company did not return a call seeking comment.

In an ice machine too: Roach infestation forces closure of A-rated Carl’s Jr. in Calif.

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Kern health officials, acting on a customer complaint, have shut down a Bakersfield Carl’s Jr. restaurant because of a cockroach infestation observed months ago by a county inspector who nevertheless issued the fast-food place an “A” rating.

carl's jrThe corporate-owned restaurant on Real Road south of California Avenue was found Monday to be harboring a “severe” infestation, with numerous cockroaches alive and dead, as well as insect eggs, feces and a multi-generational population suggesting roaches were breeding at the site, county environmental health Director Donna Fenton said.

“When we see that type of infestation, our concern is that they can contaminate food contact surfaces, utensils, food packaging — they can even get into the food itself,” said Fenton, who added the county typically closes a couple of restaurants every year because of cockroach infestations.

When the county visited the same Carl’s Jr. July 9, its inspector noted a “vermin infestation” evident by live roaches in the grill area and in an ice machine, among other lesser violations, according to a county report posted online.

cockroach.burgerThe facility earned a score of 91 percent, not as good as the 93.5 percent it received in March but better than its 90 percent score from Dec. 30. In each case the restaurant won an “A” grade, based on its overall points tally.

Fenton said the infestation the county observed in July was not seen as overly problematic because the restaurant had been treated by pest control specialists the night before, and it appeared the roaches were dying. Also, the report asserted the infestation was confined to a limited area.

The county went out again Monday after a customer reported seeing a cockroach on a wall of the restaurant, among other violations, Fenton said.

The restaurant will stay closed until its owner, Carpinteria-based CKE Restaurants Inc., finishes what Fenton called a “deep cleaning,” including steam-cleaning, sealing of cracks and other maintenance. She said the location won’t be allowed to reopen until after it passes a county re-inspection.

CKE declined to answer questions including what had been done to prevent and then address the infestation reported in July. The company issued this written statement: “The health and safety of our customers and employees is always our top priority. We took immediate action to deal with this situation and expect to re-open the location very soon.”

Douglas Powell, a former professor of food safety at Kansas State University who now publishes articles on the subject at barfblog.com, said cockroaches can carry dangerous bacteria and viruses, and that it is the responsibilities of restaurant operators, not government agencies, to ensure food safety. He cautioned against putting too much faith in government inspection reports, which he said represent ”a snapshot in time.“

”Cockroaches are going to be around,“ he said. ”It’s up to the restaurant to take steps to mitigate that.“

And everyone has a camera.

Sushi safety: Celebrated chef vs. NYC health department

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Last week, New York City’s Department of Health closed the popular, acclaimed East Village restaurant Sushi Dojo. The reasons, according to the official report and a statement provided by the DOH, were “a combination of bare hand contact and food out of temperature.”

sushi.dojoThe following day, the restaurant’s Gansevoort Market offshoot, Sushi Dojo Express, was also closed. Somewhat surprisingly, in a statement provided to Eater, Dojo chef David Bouhadana — whose third restaurant, Dojo Izakaya, is still open — wrote that he was closed because of “BS rule, a rule I don’t stand by. Sushi is being ruined [by] gloves, freezing fish and more issues.”

Grub called the chef to talk about what exactly happened, what he’s going to do about it, and why he feels he’s being targeted (an edited version is below — dp).

So, what happened?
The Department of Health, let’s put it this way, the DOH has their rules and their laws, and it is what it is. For sushi, there’s always been a gray area as far as fish, rice, temperatures — everything, really. The rule that applies to me and applies to Taco Bell is no bare-hand contact with raw food.
In sushi, we’re taught to be clean, hygienic, and professional. If you are a clean chef, you don’t need gloves. When a health inspector walks in, we all have our code word, we all have our drill: Put the gloves on, smile to the inspector, they walk in, they walk out. You’re good for six months. The problem is my restaurant is designed so when you first walk in you see me, and through the windows you can see me. But this wasn’t an issue before. Sushi Yasuda has open windows. Sushi Nakazawa has open windows. Every sushi bar has open windows.

When did it become an issue then?
The tipping point came when the inspector told me to throw food away in front of my customers. When an inspector walks into a restaurant, like Eleven Madison Park or wherever, they’re in the kitchen. Nobody knows they’re there. When you walk into my restaurant, I am positioned front and the center.
… This is not a disgusting restaurant. There’s no feces, there’s no vomit, there’s no bacteria (wow, that must be something – dp), there’s no sign of any kind of health-hazardous anything. This is a personal issue. I’ve been talking to a lot of sushi chefs for years now, and right now it’s a huge moment, and of course everyone is behind me, but no one really wants me to use their name or get involved in controversy. But, well, what do we do?

Philadelphia: Ingredients not on menu

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The Philadelphia Inquirer continues its efforts to improve restaurant inspection disclosure in the City of Brotherly Love.

smiley.faces.denmark.rest.inspectionThe Philadelphia Department of Public Health keeps its restaurant inspection reports secret for 30 days, unnecessarily risking the health of unsuspecting diners at restaurants with serious hygiene problems.

Philadelphia’s is the only health department in the nation’s 10 largest cities that has such an asinine policy, as Philly.com reported last week. Phoenix takes 72 hours to process its reports and make them public, while the rest – including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles – publish them immediately.

Within Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh also posts inspection reports immediately. So do Bucks, Montgomery, and Chester Counties. Across the Delaware, Camden and Burlington Counties post the information online within five days. A metropolis like Philadelphia should be able to keep up.

qr.code.rest.inspection.gradeA health department spokesman told Philly.com that sanitation reports are kept confidential for a month to give establishments time to challenge them. It’s fine to allow restaurants to appeal inspectors’ findings, but not at the expense of diners who deserve to know if a restaurant’s cleanliness has been questioned. Besides, there have been only four such appeals since 2009.

The 30-day grace period is too long. It suggests that the health department lacks confidence in its inspectors’ ability to evaluate sanitary conditions. If that is the case, then rather than err on the side of a restaurant that may have a rat or roach problem, the department should improve its inspectors’ skills and reduce the possibility of inaccurate assessments.

The department’s website (www.phila.gov/health/foodprotection/FoodSafetyReports.html) notes that every inspection report is a “snapshot” that “may not be representative of the overall, long-term sanitation and safety status of an establishment.” That’s an important caveat. But it doesn’t mean that having carefully cultivated a reputation for fine dining, Philadelphia should risk it by being too slow to point out which of its restaurants should be avoided.

13 sickened: Family sues after girl, 4, was sickened in Seattle area E. coli food-truck outbreak

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JoNel Aleccia of The Seattle Times writes that the family of a 4-year-old Issaquah girl hospitalized with E. coli food poisoning last summer is suing the operators of a farmers market food truck tied to her illness and a dozen others.

Elizabeth BuderElizabeth Buder was among 13 people sickened in August and September after eating food from the Los Chilangos food truck operated by Menendez Brothers, LLC of Bellevue. The firm, which operates two food trucks that serve seven farmers markets in King and Snohomish counties, was shuttered temporarily in late August by officials at Public Health — Seattle & King County — after an investigation into the outbreak.

A complaint filed this month in King County Superior Court states that the child, known as “Scout,” shared food with her parents from a Los Chilangos truck on Aug. 8 at the Issaquah Farmer’s Market. She fell ill days later and was eventually admitted to Seattle Children’s, where doctors confirmed an E. coli O157: H7 infection according to the complaint prepared by Marler Clark, a Seattle firm that specializes in food-safety cases.

The girl developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, a life-threatening complication of E. coli poisoning, and kidney failure. She was hospitalized for three weeks and will require ongoing monitoring and care. She was only recently cleared to return to school, her father said.

King County officials identified no specific source of the E. coli outbreak. The bacteria are often linked to undercooked ground beef, but can be spread through produce such as spinach and sprouts or through foods such as unpasteurized juice and raw milk.

Los Chilangos was allowed to reopen on Sept. 2 after an inspection. King County officials also shuttered Eastside Commercial Kitchen, a commissary where Los Chilangos and other vendors prepared food, but allowed that site to reopen on Sept. 8. Health officials said it’s possible the source of the outbreak may never be determined.

182 sick: Shigella cases continue to climb linked to California restaurant

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The Santa Clara County Public Health Department on Monday reported an additional 41 people sick with Shigella, bringing the total to 182.

A majority of the sick ate food last weekend from Marisco’s #3 Mexican Sea Food restaurant, located at 205 N. 4th Street in San Jose and public health officials say they expect to see more secondary cases, in which people had contact with someone who ate the restaurant.

shigella.mariscos
Shigella is extremely contagious and causes severe fever, diarrhea and stomach pain and can be spread quickly to others. County health officials say people with diarrhea must not work, especially food service workers, healthcare providers and childcare workers. Symptoms can take as long as a week to appear, but most often begin one to four days after infection.

County health experts say thorough and frequent hand washing is extremely important in preventing the continued spread of the outbreak.