Three New Hanover County restaurants have some work to do after the latest visit from health inspectors, including one that's made the low performers list before.
Last summer Spiro's Breakfast and Lunch House on Greenfield street in Wilmington made back-to-back low performer lists with a 72.5 and an 85.5. Last week, a repeat performance. Five points off for raw eggs too warm and cooked sausages too cold. Dry food was stored in dirty containers. And there were soiled multi-use containers. Twelve violations in all and a score of 76 for Spiro's.
To Eastwood Road and China Garden. All food must be labeled and identified and kept in original containers. Raw meat was stored above and beside vegetables, cooked shrimp, tea and other ready-to-eat foods. And all toys, clothing, hair coloring, lounge chair, bowls, bike, plates and food that is not for the restaurant must be removed.
Fourteen Violations and a score of 80 for China Garden.
Finally downtown and deluxe on market street. Oysters, clams and scallops must be stored in their original container and with their original harvest tags. Spray bottles in the kitchen and bar were not labeled. And eggs were stored above oysters and fish was stored with clams, which need to stored separately, and a table linen was used to absorb moisture from raw duck. The 12 violations for deluxe mean a score of 83.5.
Two New Hanover County restaurants are on this week's Kitchen Cops high performers list. Toscana Café and Gourmet Market at 3715 Patriot Way needs to remove some non-approved shelving. But it's a perfect 100 plus a two-point bonus for workers passing a food safety course.
The same top score of 102 goes to Portofino Deli in Monkey Junction with a warning to label all heated and labeled foods with the date, time and final cook temperature and record a log of temperatures as they cool.
deluxe
I love deluxe. I am concerned however, about the highest prices downtown vs. the lowest scores downtown. It seems that he should be able to regulate and control a small kitchen such as that. If he is sooo great, popular, and untouchable...and the building is old and unsafe, why is he serving the public food and beverages in it? That is the question...
Wouldn't you think he'd know better?
Mark