Restaurant Grades: Know Then Go

Below are this week's results of recent Gwinnett County restaurant inspections in Greater Lilburn by the East Metro Health District, which covers Gwinnett, Rockdale and Newton counties. Each report includes a synopsis of deficiencies found by the inspector.

Oct. 24

Name and location: 3935 Highway 29

Score: 83/B

Previous scores: 90/ a on Feb. 24, 2011 and and 94/A on Sept. 29, 2010

Violations cited: No certificate was posted for the food saftey manager. There were no paper towels at the hand-washing sink. There was mold in the upper chute and inside walls of the ice machine. There was no inspection report at the drive-through window. The drive-through window was left open when it wasn't being used.

Name and location: El Indio Restaurant, 465 Pleasant Hill Road

Score: 60/U

Previous scores: 90/A on March 24, 2011 and July 20, 2010 and 96/A on

Violations cited:A non-employee was allowed in the kitchen with a soda. An employee wasn't wearing gloves while slicing onions and also handled bell peppers. The soap dispenser in teh bathroom was broken. Multi-use containers in the drawer cooler had food residue in them from the day before. The ladle in the salt container was dirty, and the ice machine had mold on the inside. Boiled tomatillos were taken from the cooler and left on the counter with no time or temperature controls. Refried beans hadn't cooled down quickly enough overnight. Beef that had been prepared nine days earlier was still in the cooler (seven days is the limit). Containers of dry bulk foods were stored on the floor. A tire was being used outside the back door for discarded grease and was filled with trash. Floors under the prep station and under shelves in the walk-in cooler were dirty.

Name and location: , 4018 Lawrenceville Highway

Score: 81/B (follow-up inspection)

Previous scores: 74/C on Oct. 17, 2011 and 91/A on Feb. 17, 2011

Violations cited: The meat slicer was still dirty with food particles after cleaning. Sausage links weren't being kept hot enough. Fruit salad hadn't reached a cold enough temperature in the cooler four hours after preparation. Six waffle batter containers in the reach-in cooler had two different dates on the labels. 

Name and location: , 4051 Highway 78

Score: Not listed

Previous scores: 87/B on Oct. 21, 2011 and 92/A on Sept. 8, 2011

Violations cited: The walk-in cooler had a leaky refrigeration unit.

Oct. 20

Name and location: Las Arepas de Julia, 4044 Highway 29

Score: 86/B (follow-up inspection)

Previous scores: 66/U on Oct. 14, 2011 and 96/A on March 31, 2011

Violations cited: Some eggs and raw pork were too warm in the single-door cooler after employees were working in the cooler, and the cooler was too small for the amount of food stored in it. Some sausage was left to thaw on a counter (should be thawed under running water or in a refrigerator).

Name and location: Lilburn Cafe,5514 Lawrenceville Highway

Score: 89/B (follow-up inspection)

Previous scores: 44/U on Oct. 12 and 90/A on Feb. 23, 2011

Violations cited: Sliced ham had a use-by date that was beyond what's allowed from the time of opening and had an earlier expiration date from the manufacturer. The use-by date for gyro meat was also beyond what's allowed.  The latest inspection report wasn't displayed. There was a gap at the bottom of an exterior door.

Oct. 21

Name and location: Milas Pupuseria, 950 Indian Trail-Lilburn Road,

Score: 100/A

Previous scores: N/A (new permit)

No violations cited.

Name and location: , 4104 Highway 29

Score: 94/A

Previous scores: 95/A on Jan. 20, 2011 and 96/A on July 12, 2010

Violations cited: There was dried food residue on the dials of a thermometer in the pizza sauce. The dishwashing machine wasn't sanitizing with enough chlorine in the solution. Food containers had sticker buildup from multiple labels. There was some mold where a sink was attached to the wall. A dry storage unit outside had a broken door knob.

Name and location: , 4045 Five Forks Trickum

Score: 92/A

Previous scores: 83/B on March 30, 2011 and 91/A on Aug. 12, 2010

Violations cited: Eggs and garlic oil were stored above the cooling unit in the cooler. Chicken soup was cooling in a five-gallon bucket -- the bucket was too big for the soup to cool quickly enough. Uncovered crispy noodles were on tables as part of the place setting. They needed to be covered or served after the customer sits down. Sauce cups with lids and spoons were used for hot mustard and duck sauce for multiple customers. They need to be replaced with squeeze bottles or single-use packages. The hot water was turned off in the restroom sink.