Mold-Like Grime, Food Exposed To Dirt: NoVA, Fredericksburg Restaurants Cited

VIRGINIA — Some signs of a restaurant with problems are easy to spot: Weird smells, crawling insects or unkempt employees are all red flags. But sometimes the problem is harder to pin down, such as food stored at improper temperatures, unclean kitchen equipment, or insufficient handwashing.

Some recent restaurant inspections throughout Virginia uncovered cooled cheese measured at 60 degrees, seafood not hot holding at a high enough temperature, uncovered food exposure to dirt and debris, and food handling with dirty gloves.

Then there are commercial kitchens that are immaculately clean, surpass all safety standards and serve up delicious food.

Do you know how clean your favorite coffee shop, go-to restaurant or school kitchen is? Look through these recent food safety inspections from around Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg, courtesy of Patch.

• Alexandria Restaurant Inspections: Rice Hot Holding At 56 Degrees
• Manassas Restaurant Inspections: 60-Degree Cheese
• Fredericksburg Restaurant Bounces Back From 23 Health Code Violations
• Insufficient Sanitizer, Dust Over Fryers: Woodbridge Inspections
• Tortilla Shells Handled With Dirty Gloves: Fredericksburg Inspections
• 24 Violations Found At Eatery: Manassas Restaurant Inspections
• Woodbridge Restaurant Inspections: Uncovered Food Exposed To Dirt
• Vienna Restaurant Inspections: Crab Temperature Too Low, Undated Food

"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.Restaurants are routinely inspected at least once per year, although more frequent inspections may be warranted depending on the risk level of food processes and the restaurant's history of compliance.