Dirty Ice Machines, Stuck-On Food: What Kitchen Inspections Found

CORNELIUS, NC — Three Charlotte-area kitchens recently saw their health grades drop for inspections violations that ranged from filthy ice machines and kitchen items with stuck-on old food, according to county health officials. One area kitchen — Trade Street Taco — had 20 violations, including a sewage water backup.

Do you truly know how clean your favorite coffee shop or restaurant is? Find out with the most recent restaurant and food service inspections in Charlotte, Huntersville, Davidson, and elsewhere in Mecklenburg County, performed by the Mecklenburg County Health Department.

In Cornelius, eight restaurants were inspected while all received "A" grades, some were higher than others. Cornelius restaurants inspected include:

• Bojangles, 20214 W. Catawba Avenue — 96/ A
• Kentucky Fried Chicken, 20220 W. Catawba Avenue — 98.5/ A
• Maolas Pizzeria & Restaurant, 21219 N. Main Street — 99/ A
• McAlisters Deli, 19930 W. Catawba Avenue — 95.5/ A
• Nekter Juice Bar, 19116 W. Catawba Avenue — 97.5/ A
• NY Restaurant, 21021 N. Main Street — 96.5/ A
• Pho Nam Vietnamese Cuisine, 18059 W. Catawba Ave.-- 90/A
• Taco Bell, 20329 W. Catawba Avenue — 98/A

The lowest health inspection ratings in most recent inspections were found at three Mecklenburg County restaurants that received "B" health grades:

• Trade Street Taco, 710 W. Trade Street, Charlotte — 87.5/ B
• Mellow Mushroom #169, 255 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Charlotte — 85.5/ B
• La Romero Taqueria and Juice Bar, 6301 South Boulevard, Charlotte — 85.5/ B

During a Jan. 2 inspection at Trade Street Taco, 20 violations were recorded, including sewage water backing up into the restaurant and dining room, an ice machine with black build up on its sides, multiple food items held at incorrect temperatures, Guacamole held past its expiration date and a stack of wet stacked pans.

A Jan. 3 kitchen inspection at Mellow Mushroom found 18 violations for infractions including black and pink buildup on the ice machine chute, a slicer with food debris, improperly cooled pizza sauce that had to be thrown out, bread stored on the floor, and heavy food debris accumulated on the floor of the walk-in cooler.

At La Romero, a Jan. 8 inspection found 11 violations, including greasy kitchen walls and floors in need of cleaning, raw meat improperly stored with ready-to-eat food and employees not washing their hands properly.

Results from the Mecklenburg County Health Department inspections done Jan. 2 — Jan. 8, 2019 are listed below. You may look up your favorite restaurant or find more detailed information about this latest batch of inspections here.

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