The Melting Pot, Outback: Huntersville Restaurant Inspections

HUNTERSVILLE, NC — Recent health inspections in Mecklenburg County found numerous infractions in area kitchens, including 18 violations at one Charlotte restaurant where an inspection found a chef washing their hands without soap, dirty kitchen gear, and employee cell phones in a food prep area, according to a recent report by county health officials.

In Huntersville, 15 restaurants were inspected between Sept. 30 and Oct. 6, with all scoring an A rating.

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.

Here are scores for 15 Huntersville restaurants inspected last week:

• Arnie's Tavern, 16500 Birkdale Commons Parkway — 96.5/ A
• Bad Daddy's Burger Bar, 8625 Lindholm Drive — 96.5/ A
• Bojangles, 9145 Sam Furr Road — 98/ A
• Chili's Grill & Bar, 16633 Statesville Road — 94/ A
• Fox and Hound Sports Tavern, 8711 Lindholm Drive — 92.5/ A
• Harvey's, 13812 Cinnabar Place — 94.5/ A
• La Unica Mexican Restaurant, 16203 Northcross Drive — 90/ A
• The Melting Pot, 16625 Statesville Road — 98/ A
• Metro Diner Huntersville, 14211 Reese Blvd. — 96.5/ A
• Northstone Country Club Kitchen, 15801 Northstone Drive — 96.5/ A
• Outback Steakhouse, 16400 Northcross Drive — 95/ A
• Sabor Latin Street Grill, 14230 Reese Blvd. — 97.5/ A
• Showmar's Restaurant, 9605 Sherrill Estates Road — 95.5/ A
• Taco Bell, 106 N. Statesville Road — 98/ A
• Times Kirspy Krunchy Chicken, 14910 N. Hwy 73 — 94.5/ A

County health officials recently inspected 121 restaurants in the Charlotte-metro area. Health grades at the following restaurants drop to a B:

• Moa Korean BBQ & Bar, 128 S. Tryon Street — 87/ B
• Wild Wings Cafe, 2132 Ayrsley Town Blvd. — 85/ B
• Mal Pan Southpark, 4625 Piedmont Row Drive — 83.5/ B

A Sept. 30 inspection at Moa Korean BBQ & Bar noted 18 violations, which included a chef washing their gloved hands, then washing their hands without soap; raw foods stored with ready-to-eat foods; a mechanical saw and slicer with food debris; and employee cell phones in the food prep area.

An Oct. 6 inspection of Wild Wings Cafe on Ayrsley Town Blvd documented a dozen violations, which including an employee's drink on a prep surface; an employee handling raw chicken before changing gloves without washing their hands, and food debris and sticker residue on pans stored as clean. "Observed gnat problem in bar area," the inspection report said.

An inspection conducted Sept. 30 at Mal Pan Southpark on Piedmont Row Drive noted 16 violations, including including an employee seen working with food with no soap present for proper hand washing; a repeat violation for keeping some foods, such as salsa and sour cream, past expiration; numerous flies in the kitchen and cloth napkins used to wrap foods in storage.

Results from the Mecklenburg County Health Department inspections done Sept. 30 through Oct. 6, 2020 are listed below. You may look up your favorite restaurant or find more detailed information about this latest batch of inspections here.