Recent Darien Restaurant Health Reports: 1 Poor, 4 Fair, 3 Good

In the most recently released health code inspection reports by the Darien Health Department, one food-serving establishment in town was rated “Poor,” another four “Fair” and three others received ratings of “Good.”

Understanding Darien Health Inspections of Food-Serving Establishments

The following list shows what scores local restaurants and other food-serving establishments received under the state health-code scoring system (“state rating,” in which 1-4 points are deducted for each violation, with 100 being a perfect score) from town Health Department inspectors. You can find Darien’s

The Health Department also gives a rating under the Darien system (“Darien rating,” in which a “Good,” “Fair,” or “Poor” is given to food-serving establishments that pass inspections). You can find Darien’s ratings for individual food-serving establishments here (also, the name of each restaurant in the list below is linked to its Darien Health Department ratings Web page).

Darien’s rating system is meant to reflect not just the facts at a food-serving establishment at the time of the inspection (as the state health-code rating does) but a broader understanding of the establishment’s health safety practices: For instance, a restaurant that repeatedly violates a state health-code measure and doesn’t fix the problem over time will have that taken into account when the Darien rating is given; an identical health-code violation found for the first time at a restaurant where violations are soon fixed is more likely to get a better overall rating.

If a food-serving establishment’s health-safety situation is poor enough, the town Health Department may shut it down immediately (that hasn’t happened in Darien in years) or demand that something be fixed immediately or issue an order which, if the restaurant doesn’t follow it, may result in a shutdown. A restaurant may appeal that order, resulting in an administrative hearing at the Health Department.

If a Darien restaurant is open, town Health Director David Knauf says, it means the Health Department knows of no danger to the public, even after an inspection in which the restaurant was given a low rating.

Health Department Inspection Ratings and Comments

Key to reading the report information below: Also shown below are the inspection date and comments by the inspectors as noted in inspection reports. Each comment or set of comments related to a specific violation of a state health requirement are separated by semicolons (“;”). Occasionally an inspector will make general comments at the end of the report that may not be related to a violation. Those are listed separately under “additional comments.” Sometimes an inspector’s handwriting is too hard to read or a note is otherwise unclear. In those cases, when the information can’t be clarified before publication, ellipses (“[...]”) are used (and they may be used here for other reasons). Words within brackets (“[ ]”) were not in the inspection reports.

Here are the most recent reports released by the Darien Health Department:

• Zoto’s, 100 Tokeneke Ave. -- March 2 (see follow-up inspection from March 10 immediately below)

State rating: 91
Darien rating: Poor (failed)
Inspector’s remarks: ”Salmon at 130 degrees, chicken at 141 degrees; unclean floor near grill; shelving [...] unclean; rust [...] to fan in reach-in [refrigerator]; label all food not in original [containers]; salad bar at 47 degrees”

Additional remarks: [Temperatures taken from some other food were acceptable.]

• Zoto’s, 100 Tokeneke Ave. -- March 10 (follow-up from initial March 2 inspection, just above)

State rating: 98
Darien rating: Good
Inspector’s remarks: ”Thermometer missing/not working [in] cold holding unit.”

Additional remarks: [Temperatures taken for nine different foods, and all were acceptable. Water temperatures were also acceptable. Handwashing was observed.]

• Mather Community Center, 2 Renshaw Rd. -- March 12

State rating: 98
Darien rating: Good
Inspector’s remarks: ”No waste receptacles at hand sinks [in] kitchen; mixing bowls not stored inverted”

Additional remarks: “Facility clean and organized; no hot-holding [of food waiting to be served].”

• Dunkin Donuts, Interstate 95 North rest stop -- March 12

State rating: 91
Darien rating: Fair
Inspector’s remarks: ”Bag of flour left open, unprotected during storage; utensils not properly stored between use; floors throughout establishment unclean; door gasket on under-counter cooler drawer in disrepair; item stored in hand sink (ice bucket) [in] service area; under-shelves of prep tables / display cases unclean; no soap at hand sink (ware-wash) hand sink unclean (ware-wash)“

Additional remarks: “Egg, 159 degrees / sausage, 159 degrees”

• Darien Seafood, 1941 Post Rd. -- March 12

State rating: 90
Darien rating: Fair
Inspector’s remarks: “Items stored in hand sink; food items left uncovered during storage (walk-in refrigerator); ice scoop not stored properly; countertop in disrepair; outside of equipment unclean; no visible thermometer in display case.”

Additional remarks: “No hot-holding [of food waiting to be served]. Cutting boards replaced. Countertop bought but not installed yet. [Four different readings of various food temperatures were all acceptable.]

• Sbarro, Interstate 95 North rest stop -- March 12

State rating: 94
Darien rating: Good
Inspector’s remarks: ”Blade of can opener unclean; utensils not stored properly between use; wiping cloths not kept in sanitizer between use; hand sink used to rinse serving utensils.”

Additional remarks: [Six temperature readings of various foods were all acceptable.]

• Tengda, 25 Old Kings Hwy. N. -- March 13

State rating: 86
Darien rating: Fair
Inspector’s remarks: ”Utensils not stored properly between use; improper thawing of chicken (room temperature); can opener blade not clean; foods left uncovered during storage; food containers on floor in walk-in refrigerator; item stored in hand sink ([at] cook line); workers eating in kitchen; wiping cloths not kept in sanitizer between use; floors under equipment in kitchen unclean; granular not labeled; bowl with no handle used for dispensing”

Additional remarks: [Eight temperature readings of various foods were all acceptable.]

• Duchess Restaurant, 306 Post Rd. -- March 13

State rating: 91
Darien rating: No rating — not open for business while remodeling [the restaurant planned to be open by this week]
Inspector’s remarks: ”Walk-in freezer unclean; all hand sinks should have waste receptacle; rusty screws in ice machine; no bare wood -- must seal/cover, seal hand sink to wall on line; a large amount of materials and old equipment that must be removed prior to opening; unclean floors in basement /throughout kitchen; ceiling tiles to be replaced”

• Little Thai Kitchen, 4 West Ave. -- March 17

State rating: 90
Darien rating: Fair
Inspector’s remarks: ”Bare hands [used] with ready-to-eat [food]; seal hand sink to wall [at] rear line; raw chicken [put] above sauces and ready-to-eat [food]; torn gaskets on line [at the] bain-marie; hood [...] -- how often do you clean? dripping down back wall; odor from grease trap -- strong (half full); large chest freezer — ice buildup; unclean rear back door — cans, debris”

Additional remarks: “Grease drain completely filled -- wet basement. [...] Hand washing observed. [Two temperature readings for food were acceptable.]”

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Picture: Mindy Chambrelli, Darien Health Department sanitarian (health inspector)