Fredericksburg Restaurant Inspections: One Temporary Shutdown

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Officials from the Rappahannock Area Health District inspected multiple food storage and preparation businesses across the region from June 1 to June 8, including three locations with violations.

As coronavirus restrictions continue to loosen around the state, health inspectors are returning to conduct restaurant inspections in person. However, some visits, such as those for training purposes, can be conducted virtually.

Violations at restaurants typically focus on factors that can contribute to food contamination. The local health department also performs a re-inspection to ensure that possible violations have been corrected.

For every observed violation, the inspector provides a specific corrective action that can be completed to rectify the violation. Sometimes these are simple, and violations can be corrected during the course of the inspection.

Depending on the results of the inspection, the health department can pursue several actions. They can issue a permit for the restaurant to continue serving food, they can schedule a follow-up inspection to determine if violations have been rectified, or they can temporarily shut down an establishment until certain issues are solved.

Here are the most recent inspections in the Fredericksburg area, including one temporary shutdown.

• Courthouse Cafe, 8955 Courthouse Road Spotsylvania, VA 22553
  • Date inspected: June 1
  • Total violations and corrective actions: 1
  • Violation:
    • Corrections were made to the physical dine-in menu with consumer advisory listing items offered undercooked during inspection. However, the purple to-go menu offers undercooked items without a proper asterisk listing which menu items are offered undercooked. Please update the menu in all platforms.
• Vinny’s Italian Grill & Pizzeria, 397 Suite #104 Garrisonville Road Stafford, VA 22554
  • Date inspected: June 7
  • Total violations and corrective actions: 9
  • Violations:
    
    • Absence of active managerial was observed. The person in charge is not monitoring temperatures of TCS during cold holding, time as a public health control is being used in lieu of temperature of control in absence of written procedures or marking to indicate the 4-hour expiration time and raw animal foods are being stored over ready to eat foods in refrigeration units.
    • The person in charge could not provide documentation of an employee health policy but was able to communicate symptoms and illnesses required for restriction by food employees.
    • Observed sliced bread and sliced raw potatoes in water stored in uncovered containers at the prep line, without adequate overhead protection.
    • Observed raw shell eggs stored over cooked eggplant in the walk in cooler.
    • Observed a food employee wipe a knife on a soiled linen on the cutting surface of prep cooler #2 and then proceed to cut food placed on a salad for a customer's order.
    • Observed food contact surfaces of the meat slicer soiled.
    • Observed food contact surfaces of the panini press and interior surfaces of two microwave ovens soiled.
    • The following TCS foods were observed cold holding above 41°F in prep cooler #3 which were placed in the unit from the walk in cooler or freezer at 12:00 p.m.: cheese manicotti (60°F), canned cooked crabmeat (45°F). The following TCS foods were observed cold holding above 41°F in the walk in cooler #1 and have been in the unit over 4 hours: Fried eggplant (45°F), Cut lettuce (45°F), fresh mozzarella cheese balls (45°F- delivery received prior to opening 6/8/21), ricotta cheese(45°F- delivery received prior to opening 6/8/21), bulk ham (45°F- delivery received prior to opening 6/8/21).
    • The food establishment is using time as a public health control, in lieu of temperature control, for the following TCS foods: pre-cooked meatballs and sausage, shredded mozzarella cheese, and pizza sauce on the top portion of the pizza prep cooler and in house cooked chicken wings. The person in charge reported the TCS foods are held from 11:00-2:30 p.m. The TCS foods or containers were not marked to identify when the foods needs to be discarded.
• Martina’s Cantina (VA 515-941), 64 Battery Ridge Drive Fredericksburg, VA 22405
  
  • Date inspected: June 8
  • Total violations and corrective actions: 2
  • Result: Temporary closure
  • Violations:
    • Refrigeration unit was turned on at the beginning of the inspection but the temperature did not lower to evaluate cold holding capacity of 41°F or less.
    • Requires verification of signed employee health policy.