Health Inspections: Hornet's Nest, Horseshoe Grille and Joe Fish

Restaurant inspections are done twice per year in North Reading. Several restaurants in town received violations during their inspections this year.

Here are details of the inspections provided by the Health Department:

Hornet’s Nest

The Hornet’s Nest was inspected in May. The inspector noted one violation. The description of the violation stated that the grill needed to be cleaned. However, according to the Hornet's Nest, the description of the violation should have stated that the grill table stand needed to be cleaned, not the grill.

"In regards to the health inspection report in May on the Hornets Nest, to clarify, the only violation the Health Inspector could find, was that the grill table stand needed to be wiped down in the back. Not the grill just the table that the grill sits on. The table is under the grill. The grill is cleaned to the highest standards every night," according to the Hornet's Nest.

Horseshoe Grille

The Horseshoe Grille was inspected in April. At least seven violations were issued and two of them violated provisions related to foodborne illness interventions and risk factors.

The descriptions of the violations were listed as follows:

• Clean/organize rear of property
• Instruct employees preparing foods to not use phone
• Instruct employees to wash hands accordingly
• Do not store personal drinks on front line
• Clean microwaves
• Clean floor on line behind equipment
• Employees drinking on line and prepping food at same time
• Blocked hand sink
• No hand sanitizer on line at any food prep table
• Personal items stored on food contact surfaces
• Prep items improperly stored in dry storage, cloths on food product
• Improper storage of raw meats, chicken over, next to raw meats
• Improper storage of foods in walk-in, not covered or labeled
• Improper storage of clean equipment/utensils above three bay with solid equipment
• Clean floor behind equipment, broken bottles, loose litter
• Cutting fruits with no gloves

In the comments section of the report, the inspector noted that the staff demonstrated a lack of knowledge and respect for food sanitation and safety and that they need to be retrained.

Joe Fish was inspected in April. The inspector listed 12 violations and two of them violated provisions related to foodborne illness interventions and risk factors.

Here are the descriptions of the violations:

• Remove break table and personal items and clutter from next to food prep area
• Store all pots and pans
• Do not store chemicals next to or above food contact surfaces
• Do not store clean utensils or pans above sink used for clean floor, backroom or walk-in cooler
• Walk-in: ice block formed on food, discard food, repair cool down cycle, provide invoice
• Do not store plunger on food contact surface
• Do not store soiled, stained rags on food contact surface
• Do not block employee hand sink
• Do not store personal items on or above food contact surfaces
• No sanitizer at food prep stations
• Provide bulk containers for all bulk food
• Clean floor in walk-in
• Provide adequate lighting in walk-in storage
• Instruct employees to properly change gloves after touching food, after leaving station, break, etc.
• Do not store chemicals in back room over disposable gloves
• Do not store chemicals improperly
• Keep outside dumpster doors closed when not in use

This is the second in a series of health inspection articles. Click here to read the first article and check in with us Monday morning for the last.