During an inspection last week, employees at a popular Columbia restaurant were educated on proper food handling and other critical issues.
An employee at Ozark Mountain Biscuit and Bar was observed handling ready-to-eat food without gloves during a routine inspection on July 31. That food was discarded while an inspector addressed this and other issues.
Routine inspections will occur two to three times per year depending on the priority and location of Columbia restaurants, the Columbia/Boone County Health and Human Services Department has previously announced. Follow-up inspections will occur for critical violations. Restaurants can usually correct non-critical violations by the next routine inspection. Reports will be submitted July 30 through Monday unless otherwise noted.
Bacon and tomatoes without time logs or date stamps were discarded after inspectors were trained. Food that was still in the restaurant past its expiration date was discarded during the inspection. Potentially hazardous foods – bacon at the bar and milk in the coffee bar’s refrigerated section – were tested at over 41 degrees Fahrenheit and discarded. Some foods can be kept outside of certain temperatures for a maximum of four hours. After that, they must be discarded, hence the use of time logs or date stamps.
Although not considered critical, the coffee bar’s cold room did not maintain the 41-degree temperature and required maintenance or adjustment by Wednesday. The subsequent inspection report was not yet available when this article was submitted for publication.
The dishwasher cycle did not quite reach 160 degrees or more for sanitizing purposes. The restaurant had until Wednesday to fix this. Other issues the establishment had until Wednesday to fix included throwing away or returning dented cans in a dry storage area to a distributor and providing a way to dry hands at a handwashing sink. The restaurant may receive covers for food during its routine inspection in November. There were several locations throughout the restaurant where food was not covered.
Follow-up inspections generally resolve problems
Tiger Chef, 907 Rain Forest Parkway, which previously passed a re-inspection following a deep cleaning due to a pest infestation, provided the inspector with a Terminex invoice via email on August 1 as a second follow-up. There will be no further follow-up until the restaurant’s next routine inspection.
A dirty oven that could attract vermin was still not clean at Sub Shop, 2105 W. Worley St., on July 31. This was a follow-up inspection with a $110 fee because the restaurant did not fix the problem after a routine inspection on July 15 and a follow-up inspection on July 24. Sub Shop had until Wednesday to clean the oven.
At the July 30 follow-up inspection, Sports Zone (2200 I-70 Drive SW) had cleaned its dirty ice machine and its dishwasher was dispensing the proper concentration of disinfectant.
A dirty ice machine, dirty floors under shelves in the walk-in cooler and dirty ceiling vents discovered on July 26 were cleaned by July 31 at Jazz Louisiana Kitchen, 217 N. Stadium Blvd.
The dishwasher at Café Berlin, 220 N. 10th St., was dispensing the correct concentration of disinfectant on July 31, following a routine inspection on July 18. Dirty soda jets were also cleaned and disinfected.
A dirty ice cream machine and soiled beverage cans were also a problem at Cheddar’s Casual Cafe, 1010 I-70 Drive SW, on July 26. They were found to be clean during a follow-up inspection on July 31.
Employees at G&D Family Steakhouse, 2001 W. Worley St., had a clean ice machine Monday after finding it dirty on July 31. During the previous routine inspection, staff had already fixed a repeat violation of storing ground beef over steaks. They only had to switch locations in a cooler. Employees have until November to clean up dust buildup on ceilings and around ceiling vents.
Routine inspections
Most of the critical issues at Tropical Liqueurs, 515 E. Broadway, were fixed by Tuesday after the cocktail bar had its routine inspection on Aug. 1. They included a dirty ice machine and a missing air gap between the water spray nozzle and the three-compartment sink’s drain pipe, which is required to prevent sewage from backing up. Other issues fixed during the Aug. 1 inspection included relocating the water spray nozzle from its location below the sinks’ overflow rim and placing a label on an unlabeled chemical spray bottle. Other noncritical issues the bar can fix by its routine inspection in February. They include ensuring all employees have food passes (the inspector had received four of them via email), having a covered trash can in the employee restroom for disposal of feminine hygiene products and shielding a lightbulb in the dishwashing area. The inspector also discussed food safety training requirements with management and provided a flyer of approved courses via email.
Pancheros Mexican Grill, 1101 Grindstone Parkway Suite 101, had to change the concentration of an ammonia-based disinfectant on July 30, which was corrected during the inspection. Additionally, discussions were held with management about providing all employees with current ration cards until the next routine inspection.
Some food stored past its sell-by date was discarded at Bud’s Classic BBQ, 304 S. Ninth St., on July 30. The restaurant also had until Monday to clean its dirty ice machine, but a follow-up report was not available when this article was submitted for publication. Although it was deemed non-critical, the restaurant also must maintain or adjust a cold room used for food preparation that was at the proper temperature. Meatballs inside tested at 43 degrees. Food in cold rooms must maintain a temperature of 41 degrees or below.
At Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, 203 S. Providence Road, an ice machine and soda dispenser pourers were dirty on July 30 and a handwashing sink was clogged from the storage of ice scoops and buckets. They had until Aug. 1 to fix the problem, but a report was not available. A non-critical issue is scoops that were stored in food containers and had handles touching the food. The restaurant may store the scoop handles until November instead.
Insomnia Cookies, 308 S. Ninth St. Suite 113, was closed when the inspection was attempted on July 31.
At the Bubble House, 2300 Bernadette Drive Suite 714, in the Columbia Mall, a dirty ice machine was on Aug. 1, but it was cleaned during the follow-up inspection on Tuesday. An ammonia-based sanitizer in a bucket was not at the proper concentration, which was corrected during the Aug. 1 inspection. As with Raising Canes, there were scoops with handles touching the food. They were adjusted so the handles were above the food at the time of the inspection.
On August 2, there was no way to dry hands at the handwashing sink at Pickleman’s Gourmet Café, 3103 W. Broadway. This was corrected during the inspection.
The 11Eleven restaurant in the Broadway Hotel at 1111 E. Broadway had dented cans in its dry storage area on August 2. These were discarded during the inspection. Food stored past its expiration date was also discarded. An employee was observed consuming a beverage in a food preparation area, which was a non-serious violation. Education was provided. The restaurant has until December to obtain an internal thermometer for a cold storage room. Discussions were held with management about using the time as a temperature check and that food must be stored at least 6 inches off the floor.
A dented can on a kitchen shelf at Fuzzy’s Tacos, 205 E. Nifong Blvd. Suite 200, was taken to a dealer return location during the inspection Monday. The remaining issues were not critical. They included a buildup of dirt on a water heater in the kitchen. That can be cleaned by November. Discussions were held with management about adding a shielded lightbulb in the walk-in cooler, which was added. The restaurant also had the warped floor of the walk-in cooler repaired, which was discovered during a previous routine inspection.
In some restaurants, routine inspections revealed only non-critical problems.
At Just Jeff’s, 701 Business Loop 70 W, a cove that protects floor and wall joints was missing on July 30. It can be replaced by November.
Mya’s Gourmet Popcorn, 2300 Bernadette Drive Suite 606, in Columbia Mall must install a trash can with a lid in the women’s restroom for disposal of feminine hygiene products by February following an inspection on August 1.
At Freddy’s Frozen Custard, 3922 S. Providence Road, some food was stored under a hand sink on Monday. Food is not allowed to be stored near water pipes. The drain of a soda machine was also found to be dirty. This non-food-contact surface needs to be cleaned more regularly. These problems may be corrected by November. Additionally, management has spoken to adjusting the temperature on two refrigerators that were at the edge of the acceptable temperature range of 41 degrees or below.
Starbuck’s Coffee at 900 Vandiver Drive must have a food manager certification by November. A bathroom door also does not close itself, which can also be fixed by November, as can a missing ceiling tile in the kitchen. One issue deemed non-critical that was fixed during Monday’s inspection was the concentration of an ammonia-based disinfectant in a disinfectant bucket.
No violations
Some Columbia restaurant chains were found to have no violations during routine inspections on Monday. These were:
- Five Guys Burgers and Fries, 233 N. Stadium Blvd.;
- The Starbuck’s Coffee kiosk at Target, 2400 Bernadette Drive; and
- Wendy’s 2116 Bernadette Drive. Although no violations were found, management was spoken to regarding ice machine cleaning procedures.
Previously: Columbia restaurant conducts thorough cleaning after inspection finds dead mice, droppings and ants
Charles Dunlap covers local politics, community stories and other general issues for the Tribune. Reach him at [email protected] or @CD_CDT on X, formerly Twitter. Subscribe to support important local journalism.
