Restaurant Inspections: Chipotle and Red Robin

From Jan. 3-15, the state health department inspected a few restaurants in the Centreville and Chantilly areas. For prior restaurant inspection reports, click here.

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. Inspectors 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."

Below, find the latest restaurant inspection from the Virginia Department of Health. These inspections reflect visits from inspectors during the last few weeks. Some of the violations were corrected immediately during the recent inspections.

The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

Chipotle Mexican Grill
14416 Chantilly Crossing Lane
Date of inspection: Jan. 15
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Thermometer inside reach-in refrigerator at back (catering) observed not working. Manager replaced.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): One of refrigeration units is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41 degrees.

Papa John’s
13888 Metrotech Dr
Date of inspection: Jan. 14
Critical (corrected during inspection): Raw animal food stored over ready-to-eat food in the refrigeration unit. Raw shell eggs (employee food item) was observed stored over both whole and cut produce in the walk-in cooler. Eggs were moved to the lowest shelf.

Hunter Mill Deli
14215-U Centreville Square
Date of inspection: Jan. 11
No violations were found during the inspection.

Italian Gourmet Deli
4300 Chantilly Shopping Center
Date of inspection: Jan. 11
No violations were found during the inspection.

Food Corner
14220-IA Centreville Square
Date of inspection: Jan. 10
Critical (corrected during inspection): One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.
Critical (corrected during inspection): 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 (corrected during inspection): Observed raw chicken being stored over raw lamb in the walkin refrigerator.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Front and back hand sinks are being used as dump sinks.
Non-critical: Observed food thawing using an improper method.

Pomodoro
14115 Saint Germain Drive
Date of inspection: Jan. 8
Critical (corrected during inspection): The person in charge failed to state the required temperatures and holding times for the potentially hazardous food items when (1) in refrigerated storage, (2) in hot holding, or (3) being reheated.
Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Both hand sinks were dry and there was no soap at any of the hand sinks in the food prep area. No handwashing was observed during the inspection.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Chicken in salad prep unit was not coverage while stored inside the unit.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Dishwasher was out of service and the 3 vat sink was not set up with sanitizer, at the least. There were no sanitizer buckets set up.
Critical: Some food items were found hot holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device.
Non-critical: There were no paper towels at the front handsink. Paper towels at the kitchen hand sinks were not in dispensers.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): There was no soap at the hand sinks in the food prep and service areas.
Non-critical: Observed items that are intended for household use only and are not approved for use in a commercial food establishment.
Non-critical: Temperature gauge on Beverage Air 2DR freezer does not work. There is no thermometer in the unit.
Non-critical: There are not thermometers in all refrigerators and freezers.

Myung Ga Korean Deli
14165 Saint Germain Drive
Date of inspection. Jan. 8
Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.
Critical (corrected during inspection): An employee observed re-using a utensil to taste food.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Observed equipment being washed in a dump sink with soap - no sanitize step.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Observed the handsink in the kitchen being used as a wash/dump sink for pots.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): There was not a handwashing sign at the hand sink in the men's restroom.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): There was not a refrigerator thermometer in the sushi prep refrigerator.
Non-critical: Items are intended for household use only and are not approved for use in a commercial food establishment: rice warmer.
Non-critical: Milk crates were used for elevated storage in the walkin refrigerator.
Non-critical: The wooden paddle used to mix sushi rice is burned and damaged.

Red Robin
14450 Chantilly Crossing Ln
Date of inspection: Jan. 8
Non-critical: The person in charge (PIC) has a valid certificate of successful completion of a Certified Food Manager (CFM) exam but does not possess the CFM card issued by ORS Interactive, Inc. Manager currently on duty is transferring to a location out of the county within the next week, he was instructed to ensure that incoming manager or designee holds a Northern Virginia Food Managers Card (photo identification card.)

Kang Chon Restaurant
5930 Centreville Crest Ln
Date of inspection: Jan. 4
No violations were found during the inspection.