Restaurant Inspections: Facility Reopens After Resolving Roach Infestation

During the last few weeks of May, the state health department inspected a few restaurants in the Alexandria area. For prior restaurant inspection reports, click here.

In Virginia, restaurant inspection reports aren't quite as simple as getting a letter grade or an easy-to-see number rating to post in the front window.

That said, we all want to know how our favorite restaurants stack up on cleanliness and sanitation. Inspectors grade restaurants based on critical and non-critical violations.

A "critical violation" is one that "poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served." Non-critical violations are generally related to cleaning or maintenance.

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," according to Virginia Department of Health's website.

The site continues: "Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term cleanliness of an establishment."

Below, find the latest restaurant inspection from the Virginia Department of Health. These inspections reflect visits from inspectors during the last few weeks. Some of the violations were corrected immediately during the recent inspections.

The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

Applebee's
6310 Richmond Hwy
Date of inspection: Sept. 26
Critical (corrected during inspection): Observed that sign or poster that notifies food employees to wash their hands is not provided at all handw ashing sinks used by food employees. EHS Did not observe a hand washing sign in the men's room.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): The following equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch: Observed plastic drain, used in pans to prevent sticking and grease removal, in clean dishes tub with food debris on it.

Cuco Lino Restaurant
8428 Richmond Hwy
Date of inspection: Sept. 21
No violations were found during the inspection.
*Cuco Lino Restaurant voluntarily closed on Sept. 20 due to a roach infestation. The facility obtained additional pest control and has been approved for operation. The owner must provide the health department with the next pest control report for the facility by Oct. 21.