Hundreds of DC area restaurants violate health codes
By: Markham Heid
Examiner Staff Writer
March 11, 2010
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(Andrew Harnik/Examiner)
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Palm, Georgia Brown's, Gordon Biersch cited
Health inspectors nailed at least 1,900 area restaurants and food vendors — including the swanky Palm and Georgia Brown's -- for violations ranging from rat infestations to "slime"-covered water spigots during a three-month period, according to health department records obtained by The Examiner.
Health inspectors in Virginia, Maryland and the District closed at least 116 area food establishments as a result of majorhealth code infractions.
D.C's top offendersNote: Violations in a single inspection
Name Number of critical violations Gordon Biersch Brewery 11 Georgia Brown's 11 Palm Restaurant 10 Toscana Cafe 10 Capitol City Brewing (Mass. Avenue) 9 Big Chair Coffee n' Grill 8 Rasika 8 Organic To Go (Evarts Street) 7 Dean and DeLuca 7 Soho Cafe (14th Street) 7
Source: D.C. Department of Health
But hundreds of other restaurants were allowed to remain open, despite racking up critical violations such as expired food and preparing dishes with open wounds. All the violations occurred between Nov. 1 and Feb. 1.
In the District alone, more than 450 restaurants and food service establishments were cited for critical violations, many for multiple infractions during a single inspection.
Critical health code violations are those that could lead to foodborne illness if left uncorrected, said Robert Sudler, the D.C. Health Department's food safety program manager.
The Palm Restaurant, Georgia Brown's, Gordon Biersch Brewery and Toscana Cafe were written up for more critical health code violations during one inspection than other D.C. restaurants -- though none resulted in closures.Health inspectors cited both the Palm and Georgia Brown's for keeping expired food -- crab cakes and gravy, respectively -- and for dishwashers with water temperatures that weren't hot enough, among other violations.
"That certainly set off the alarms for us," said John Bettin, president and chief executive officer of Palm Restaurant Group. "We take food safety very seriously."
A health inspector observed 11 critical health code violations at Gordon Biersch, which tied Georgia Brown's for the most among D.C. restaurants during one inspection.
A hand-written report described one barehanded cook "preparing desserts with cuts/sores on fingers," and said employees were cleaning dining utensils and dishes with dirty rags between servings, and using the same pair of tongs to handle cooked and raw food.
"It's disappointing and embarrassing, to say the least," said Joe Cominsky, a regional manager for the Gordon Biersch Restaurant Group.
The restaurant brought in a food safety educator, and employees were required to take a course and test, added Executive Chef Arthur Jackson, who said the violations had been corrected.
Managers at Georgia Brown's and Toscana Cafe said their restaurants' health code issues had been resolved, and all four restaurants received clean bills of health during follow-up inspections.
Sudler said inspectors close a restaurant only when a violation is an "imminent" health threat that is not immediately correctable -- such as vermin infestation.
Pollo Granjero, a Mexican restaurant in Adams Morgan, was one of several eateries closed temporarily because of roach and rat infestation.
Restaurants in Maryland and Virginia also racked up hundreds of health violations, which are based on Food and Drug Administration guidelines.
In Prince George's County, where at least 290 restaurants were cited for critical health code violations, Reggiano's Italian restaurant in Largo was cited for infractions in four categories related to food preparation, food storage and employee health.
And in Virginia, Alexandria's upscale Brabo by Robert Wiedmaier was cited for 10 critical health code violations during one inspection.
However, Brabo owner and Executive Chef Wiedmaier said the violations -- which included kitchen employees drinking from uncovered containers and handling toasted bread with bare hands -- did not endanger customers' health, and the use of the word "critical" was misleading.
"No one's ever been sick here," he said. "I run clean, professional restaurants, and I pride myself on how people see my kitchens."
Bob Custard, an Alexandria Health Department manager, would not discuss individual restaurants, but acknowledged that not all violations are created equal.
"Critical violations may just create a situation where something is more likely to happen, or they may directly create an issue," Custard said. "Some have a much larger potential to directly harm someone than others."
Kaitlin Schluter contributed to this report.
