Improper holding temps. 2 Macon restaurants get ‘C’ grades on health inspections

Two Macon restaurants were required to have follow-up inspections after receiving “C’s” for marginal compliance on July routine health inspections.

Both Lil Mary’s Soulfood at 3747 Napier Ave. and WNB Factory at 610 North Ave. were cited for improper holding temps, which contributed to their “C” grades.

Meanwhile, most Macon restaurants, bars, coffee shops and food trucks earned “A’s” on routine health inspections for the reporting period of July 1-31, according to what was reported in the online health department portal Thursday.

Of those, more than a dozen earned perfect scores of 100.

Another 10 restaurants, two bars and a coffee shop received “B’s,” while none received a failing grade of “U.”

State Environmental Health inspectors assign grades based on how many points are deducted from 100, with scores at 69 and below considered failing.

Restaurants and other food establishments that receive either a “U” or “C” on a routine inspection are required to have follow-up inspections, which usually take place within 10 days of the routine inspection.

Marginal compliance

At a routine inspection July 25, Lil Mary’s Soulfood received a score of 79 for half a dozen violations, including holding cooked chicken below the required temperature for food safety, according to the inspection report.

Other violations included:

• An outside barbecue pit in use did not have permanent overhead protection.
• A handwashing sink within the kitchen was not accessible due to plumbing problems.
• Sanitizer test strips on-site were for chlorine and not quaternary strips need to test the sanitizer the restaurant is currently using.
• An outdoor opening of the kitchen had gaps that could allow pests to enter. No pests were seen on site.
• The restaurant did not have a bodily fluid kit on-site for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea if necessary.

The restaurant improved with an 87 for a “B” at its follow-up inspection July 31.

At its July 22 routine inspection, WNB Factory at 610 North Ave. scored a 75 for multiple violations, including “several items” that were in a prep top cooler were above the required temperature for food safety.

Other violations included:

• The meshing was ripped in a sliding door at the back of the kitchen and a back door had gaps that could allow insects to enter. No insects were seen on site.
• Ice desserts within single use cups in a walk-in freezer had no overhead protection.
• The restaurant had the wrong test strips needed to test the sanitizer used at the restaurant.
• Other violations included ice build-up within the inside of the walk-in freezer; a prep sink with no hot water pressure; and a scoop handle within the bulk rice container touching the rice.

The restaurant bounced back with a 96 for an “A” at its follow-up inspection Aug. 1.

Best scores

Here’s a list of restaurants, bars and food trucks with perfect scores of 100:

• Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 3652 Eisenhower Parkway
• Billy’s Clubhouse, 1580 Forest HIll Road
• Bulldogs Bar & Grill, 3748 Bloomfield Village Drive
• Burger King, 1188 Gray Highway
• CC Fish House, 4032 Chambers Road, Unit A
• Chicken Salad Chick, 1676 Bass Road
• Dairy Queen, 4760 Log Cabin Drive
• Guitarras Mexican Grill, 157 Tom HIll Sr. Blvd., Suite 205.
• Guitarras Mexican Grill’s food truck
• Houston Seafood, 3011 Houston Ave.
• Little Caesars, 1502 Rocky Creek Road
• Macon Bagels, 470 3rd St.
• McDonald’s, 550 Gray Highway
• Natalia’s, 201 North Macon St.

How it works

• An “A” is given for a score between 90 to 100 and denotes “food safety excellence.”
• A score of 80 to 89 is considered “satisfactory compliance” for a grade of “B.”
• A “C” is given for “marginal compliance” based on a score of 70-79.
• A “U” for “unsatisfactory compliance” is given when a restaurant scores 69 or less.

Restaurant inspections are designed to protect public health. The Telegraph reviews inspection reports monthly