Macon restaurant within Pakistani market fails first routine health inspection

A fledgling Macon restaurant within a Pakistani market that includes a grocery store and a fresh meat market failed its first routine health inspection in April in part due to moldy food in a fridge.

The Zam Zam Market at 1560 Eisenhower Parkway received a “U” for “unsatisfactory compliance” with a score of 62 at its routine inspection April 8, according to what was reported on the Georgia Department of Public Health online portal.

The restaurant bounced back with a 95 for “food safety excellence” at its required follow-up inspection April 11. The restaurant also received a perfect score of 100 at its November 2021 initial inspection prior to opening.

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

Follow-up inspections are required when a restaurant fails its routine inspection and usually take place within 10 days.

Routine inspection

During Zam Zam Market’s routine inspection, mold was visible on a pan of steak kebab in the refrigerator and on whole tomatoes in the walk-in cooler, according to the inspection report.

Also, very large stock pots with chicken korma, chicken with peppers in a sauce and beans with a seasoning mix were either on a counter or on an outdoor propane cooker without any temperature control, the report said.

State health regulations don’t allow for food to be left out to cool in that manner. But the person in charge at the restaurant told the health inspector that a “cultural practice of cooking food prevented bacterial growth and that food could be stored at room temperature for up to 10 hours without any indication that food would make the public sick,” according to the inspection report.

The person in charge could not provide “any means of lab testing” and refused to discard the food, the report said. The inspector explained that a withhold-from-sale order would be issued.

The inspector also observed the same person using their bare hands to place ready-to-eat naan bread on plates.

The restaurant was also cited for various violations related to handwashing stations, including an employee reusing a towel to dry their hands and hot water turned off at the main handwashing sink for the kitchen.

Other Bibb restaurant scores

Meanwhile, most Bibb restaurants scored “A’s” on their routine health inspections for the reporting period of April 1 through April 30, including a half dozen with perfect scores of 100. Seven earned “B’s” and one received a “C.”

These Bibb restaurants earned perfect scores:

• Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar and Gril, 6235 Zebulon Road
• Barberitos, 652 New St.
• Da Smoothie Plug, 1087 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Suite D
• Domino’s Pizza, 600 New St., Suite A
• Little Ceasar’s Pizza, 1502 Rocky Creek Road
• Papa John’s, 4126 Hartley Bridge Road

Also earning a perfect score was Pearl Passionate Cuisine & Cocktails, which is getting closer to opening at 470 First St. in downtown Macon, on its initial inspection.

Additionally, JD’s mobile, a food truck based in Gray, earned a 100 on its initial inspection.

Here’s how the marks are distributed: “A” for a score between 90 and 100 that indicates “food safety excellence.” “B” for a score between 80 and 89, considered “satisfactory compliance,” and “C” for “marginal compliance’‘ for a score between 70 and 79. A “U” for ``unsatisfactory compliance” is given when a restaurant scores a 69 or less.

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

This story was originally published May 3, 2022 at 5:00 AM.