Kitchen Cops 10/15/09

Four area restaurants earned high praise with health inspectors, and a recent low performer got a second chance.

When a health inspector visited China Garden last month, the restaurant on Eastwood Road wound up with a score of 82.This time around it lost three points because cutting boards need to be resurfaced and a pot too big to wash in the sink needs to be replaced. Another point off because caulking around sinks needs to be replaced. The dumpster area needs cleaning. And the staff needs to clean the drain and floor behind equipment. An improvement for china garden from 82 to 94.

Two restaurants share this week's high score. We start at Taco Bell across from UNCW. No violations plus a two-point bonus for workers passing a food safety course. The same score of 102 a few blocks down College Road at Subway.

The Subway on Wrightsville Avenue lost a half point because peeling shelving needs repair and metal pans for storing dressing are not easily cleanable. The same score of 99.5 goes to A Southern Thyme on Fountain Drive. The frequent high performer lost half a point to clean the walk-in cooler floor.