'Active' Roach Infestation Cited in Failed Restaurant Score

A Gwinnett County restaurant had its permit suspended by the health department after it was cited for numerous violations, including the discovery of an active cockroach infestation.

Wok Rock, located at 3585 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, was graded 55 (out of 100) in a June 23 inspection, according to health department records. It was the second straight score in the 50’s for the Duluth-area restaurant; it scored a 50 on June 9.

The restaurant has failed four inspections since December, and two other inspections in 2013.

Click here to see the entire report

From the most recent inspection report:

YOUR PERMIT HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FOR:

1) RECEIVING “U” GRADES ON TWO CONSECUTIVE INSPECTIONS; 2) NOT CONTROLLING PESTS (ACTIVE COCKROACH INFESTATION).

**Compliance Conference scheduled for 9:00AM on Thursday, June 25, 2015.

In the report, the inspector noted an active cockroach infestation, with nymphs and adult insects found in the kitchen, dish sink, vegetable prep sink, ceiling-wall juncture, prep table, floor and on the upright freezer. Dead roaches also were found in many places.

Violations cited (source: Jan. 23 inspection report):

• No active managerial control. Violations for food separated & protected, cold holding and cooling (amongst other good retail practices) were observed today. Training provided.
• Food not protected from contamination by separating raw animal foods during storage, prep, holding, and display from raw or cooked ready-to-eat foods.
• Raw frog legs stored above cooked clams in the walkin freezer.
• Raw chicken stored above vegetable spring rolls in the walkin freezer.
• Unwashed vegetables not separated from ready-to-eat foods, washed produce in the walkin cooler.
• Cold-held potentially hazardous foods not maintained below 41F; no time controls/documentation in place.
• Cooked potentially hazardous foods not cooled from 135F to 70F within 2 hours. Cooked rice, cooling from 2:00pm-6:05pm, in the walkin cooler, measured 74.5F. Food discarded.
• Cooked potentially hazardous foods not cooled from 135F to 41F within a total of 6 hours. Noodles, which were cooling from 12:00-6:10pm, measured 52F. Food discarded.
• Potentially hazardous foods not properly cooled by effective methods (shallow pans, ice water bath, adding ice as an ingredient, etc.) Rice was cooling in deep, covered, plastic containers in the walkin cooler. Noodles were cooling in a deep, covered, plastic container, in the reachin cooler that was not properly working; had PIC transfer food to a shallow metal pan & put it into the walkin freezer to continue cooling. The PIC covered the noodles, while they were cooling in the freezer, even after I advised her multiple times to uncover food during the cooling process. Rice & noodles were discarded because they didn’t cool within the required times.
• Food (pastry dough) stored under ice buildup & condensation leak in the walkin freezer; ice accumulated on the food package.
• Most current inspection report not posted in public view as required. It was posted at an angle, between the fire extinguisher and the specials board - not prominently displayed.
• Ice buildup & condensation leak found inside the walkin freezer: on pipes, fan housing, ceiling, food packages.
• Both coolers across from the woks were not properly working. Ambient air temperature measured 51.6F in the right side cooler. Ambient air temperature measured 46.6F in the left side cooler.
• Handle taped on a knife that was stored clean.
• Old stickers, residue found on food containers stored clean. Water leaking from the vegetable prep sink faucet & both dish sink faucets.
• Holes in ceiling around pipes above walkin cooler- potential pest entry/harborage site.
• Damaged/peeling ceiling tiles in the kitchen. Acoustical ceiling tiles above the walkin cooler - not smooth & easily cleanable.
• Gaps between hand sink & adjacent stainless steel wall panels, especially at the wall seam - pest harborage site. Gaps between stainless steel wall panels around the cookline hood. Some of the wall sections have been taped together; some tape is peeling off.
• Walls & ceiling panels are unsecured & lifting/separating so there are visible gaps.
• Gaps between wall & ceiling juncture, especially above dish sink; observed cockroaches coming in & out of kitchen through this area. Advised to ensure wall & ceiling panels are properly installed, without gaps, so that they are smooth & easily cleanable and are not a pest harborage site/entry point.
• Employee food stored above customer food in the upright cooler. Employee food moved to bottom shelf of cooler, away from customer food.
• Live cockroaches (multiple life cycles: nymphs & adults) were observed throughout the kitchen - active infestation.
• Live cockroaches observed on the dish sink, coming out of the vegetable prep sink drain line, coming out of the ceiling panels especially at the ceiling-wall juncture, on the prep table, on the floor, on the upright freezer, etc.
• Feces observed on the signs & tape by the dish sink & prep sink.
• Dead cockroaches found throughout the facility: including on the floor, by the fryer, by the hand sink, on storage shelves, on signs posted at dish sink & vegetable sink, and under the clear tape that is used to hang the dish sink & prep sink signs.
• The back door was propped open.