Table Talk

By jess

September 18, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this

Health scores are intended to protect the consumer. Restaurant critiques are intended to protect a consumer’s pocketbook. They are not the same but should work together seamlessly.

If health scores were easily researched, as you allude in your opening statements, there would be less opportunity for embarrassment as I refuse to be seated after reading a poor score ( below 96 ) upon entering a restaurant.

If you have a link to a website that lists these scores, PLEASE POST that information.

By karen

September 18, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

gwinnett county site for restaurant scores is www.gwinnett.ga.gegov.com hope this helps

By Score93

September 18, 2008 9:01 AM | Link to this

As a restaurant PATRON, I do pay attention to the scores (recently, I stopped patronizing a certain Mexican restaurant that got a socre in the 40’s and was closed down until they fixed the problems). However, as a restaurant OWNER, I realize that an establishment that has a number of minor problems can have a lower score than one which had a more serious problem. Example: leaving the ice scoop in the ice bin, having unwrapped toothpicks on the counter, or having an uncovered beverage in the kitchen that an employee is consuming are both minor problems which will lower your score. But - letting the drippings from thawed meat fall into the pre-made salads on a lower shelf or storing food on the floor in a stockroom are much more serious health concerns, in my opinion. Yet, a single one of these will not lower your score as much as a couple of the minor ones mentioned above. So - if you go on-line and read these inspection reports, pay attention to the details, not just the number.

By Just_Me

September 18, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this

I agree-the health inspection scores are no where to be found…

And, NO- I could not ever, under any circumstances rave over a place if I knew it had a poor health rating.

When I see the ratings, I check to see what the points were taken off for. Quite honestly, if it has nothing to do with the kitchen, food, or food prep, I pretty much don’t give a damn if a ceiling tile is cracked in the bathroom.

My son, a chef-in-training has the servsafe certification-and is terrific in helping to decode what the big deal violations are, and what the lesser ones are.

I agree with Jess-please list the various county websites where we can get scores!

By steph

September 18, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this

I think ya’ll are big babies. I care about the taste of the food and the appearance of the restaurant. I also care about major violations, but agree with the person above, that a low score doesn’t always mean much. What really matters is the types of violations they recieve. I think lots of restaurants, especially ethnic ones, have issues with understanding all the minor issues.

By JeremiahWright

September 18, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this

“where cultural differences can prove difficult”

I don’t give a damn about cultural differences. If your culture says you can wipe your butt, not wash your hands, and then handle my food, I want you to get a failing grade. Apply the same standard to everyone; I don’t care if your American, Mexican, Chinese, or Somali.

By kar

September 18, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this

Steph, let’s hope you never get anything worse than the occasionally case of food poisoning. Hepatitus, internal worms, teeth breaking on foreign objects and chemical poisoning may not affect the taste but if the kitchen staff is sloppy with their habits, you’re going to be the one regretting it.

By bb

September 18, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this

MF I agree- your job is to critique the food, service, and atmosphere, and I am sure if you saw something egregious then you would note it or give the restaurant a lower rating. But it isn’t it terrible when you do go into a restaurant you love and they have recently gotten a terrible score? Anyway, I have sympathy for restaurants when it comes to food inspection- that 98-100 is hard to keep and I give ya’ll kudos who do. What would your kitchen get?

By Stepford

September 18, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this

The only kitchen I care about is the one in my beautiful subdivision home in which I lovingly cook meals for my trophy husband and two perfect children.

By JohnEdwards

September 18, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

Hey, MF - I have a suggestion: How about reviewing the best restaurants for a married man to take his mistress or girlfriend to without getting caught by his wife or her friends?

By don'tgiveadarn

September 18, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this

I’ve had this conversation so many times on so many fronts (with friends, online, forums, etc.) and my response is always this - I don’t care.

I don’t look at the score. I enjoy the taste and experience of a great dish far too much to worry about a score. My general rule is so long as it tastes good, I don’t care if you dragged it through the sewer to get it to my table.

By ReservoirDAWG

September 18, 2008 12:28 PM | Link to this

Mellow Mushroom has the dirtiest kitchens and employees around and their food stinks.

By 12cook

September 18, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Thank you Score93 for saying what I wanted to. As a chef I am obsessed with my walk in coolers and freezer. I keep my staff on ther toes about the storage and rotation of everything that goes in and out, yet I get docked 4 points for not stating an advisory on my menu that we cook steaks to order and it could possibly be a health risk ??. That my service staff doesn’t use tongs to put lemons on water glasses?(4 more) Yes the dining public needs to be aware that these little things can really hurt an establishment’s score and not assume its always the kitchen’s fault.

By ReservoirDAWG

September 18, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

Oh boohoo. You cooks and resteraunt owners should know the rules. This comes from a former owner.

By Vince

September 18, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this

I agree. Know the rules and play by them, or get out of the business!

By Sue

September 18, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this

Many years ago I served on jury duty with a young woman who worked in the County health office which rated restaurants. Her advice - “never eat in a restaurant that has a score of less than 90”. I have followed her rule. I don’t care how well the staff serves, the chefs cooks and

By ReservoirDAWG

September 18, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this

I meant restaurant.

By Sue

September 18, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this

Oops.. here is the rest of my comment. Regarding the poster who says he doesn’t care if the food has been drug through the sewer as long as it taste good .. surely you jest.

By Sue

September 18, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this

Oops.. here is the rest of my comment. “and the restuarant looks, I am not eating there if it is dirty.” Regarding the poster who says he doesn’t care if the food has been drug through the sewer as long as it taste good .. surely you jest.

By JJ

September 18, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this

I frequent a certain mexican restaurant in Suwanee called Monterrey. Their score has been a 76 for the last three months now, but we still continue to eat there. The food is wonderful, and the service is great and the place is packed on the weekends.

By TheDirtySecret

September 18, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

I do think that a restaurant with a failing health score should not be reviewed. A failing score is a clear indication that restaurant the doesn’t care about the food they’re preparing or their guests.

That said, don’t be fooled by a high score either. I work in an upscale Buckhead restaurant that has a high score, because we open only for dinner, which means when the health inspector arrives they see a kitchen with no one working in it that was just cleaned from the night before.

Believe me that score on the wall would be much different if they showed up at 7:30pm instead of 11:30 am.

By Score93

September 18, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this

Hey, Reservoirdog - why don’t you stop by my restaurant on the way home - I’ll whip up a real special meal for ya! I guess ‘former’ owner says it all, doesn’t it? Boohoo THIS!

By ReservoirDAWG

September 18, 2008 2:08 PM | Link to this

Score93, that is a typical attitude. I wouldn’t set foot in your establishment. I am a former owner that never had a score below 98 and got out of the business to have more time to spend with my daughter. With your attitude you will be out of business soon. By the way, I sold mine and it is still thriving.

By Score93

September 18, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this

RD - Been going strong for over 15 years without your sorry azz crossing the threshold - didn’t need ya before and don’t need ya now.

By ReservoirDAWG

September 18, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this

93, dude you need to chill out. I think the industry is getting to you.

By Meridith Ford

September 18, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this

I think the best point made here is that if all you look at is the overall score, you’re not getting the full picture. Food stored at improper temperatures in improper holding containers and employees not washing hands and wearing gloves are far greater grievances than a roach or a dirty bathroom (even though both are, admittedly, icky). I think a link to sites that post online as part of the review may be the answer …

By deegee

September 18, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this

Sorry, but a dirty bathroom is a sign that the management just doesn’t care. It’s one thing when children play in the bathroom and stop up the toilet. It’s another thing when the bathroom floor, stalls and sink are grimey. Chances are the food is bad and the service is even worse.

By 12cook

September 18, 2008 6:34 PM | Link to this

Hey RD.. Yeah we know the rules and we all abide by them so don’t even “boo-hoo” at me or anyone else. The point we’re are trying to make is that the nit picking done by the healt inspectors borders on absurd. And you as a FORMER owner should know this. And for someone who owned a “restaurant” you should know how to spell the word, but the dawg explains it all.

By martin stuart

September 18, 2008 8:31 PM | Link to this

the best way to deal with the health department is to follow the regulations.

It would be very interesting if the inspectors turned up after five and on weekends.

The kitchen managers are very aware that it doesn’t matter after 5 but that is when 65% of the food is served.

By Peter

September 18, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this

I ate at a Chinese restuarant on Buford Hgwy where I swear everything on the grill had a long thin tail.

By John dePeer

September 18, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this

When I was in high school and college, I worked at a number of restaurants. When we had slow nights we would get “creative” and do things like urinate in the soup of the day or spit in sandwiches. It was all funny back then, but now my wife and I don’t go out to eat much.

By Penguinmom

September 18, 2008 11:31 PM | Link to this

The new system of scoring seems more difficult to understand and it also seems to be a little picky in some minor areas.

I used to be able to read a posted health report and get an idea of exactly what was wrong. Now when I look at one, it’s hard to tell where the points were taken off.

I look at the reports and wouldn’t eat at a restaurant with too low of a score. But I know that a B could still be a reasonable restaurant, just one that failed some of the more minor picky details.

By Connie

September 19, 2008 6:37 AM | Link to this

Yesterday my husband and I ate at Taco Bell in downtown Griffin. The health dept rating was 99. However, the dining room is in need of a serious cleaning.

By ReservoirDAWG

September 19, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this

Hey 12Cook, maybe you should do a better sales job. I corrected my spelling and don’t insult the education from UGA. You are after all just a cook. Now go make my food.

By Jason

September 22, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this

Restaurant inspectors work to a certain extent. I worked at Applebee’s once, saw someone drop a whole bucket of lemons on the floor “accidentally” and just rinsed them off in the sink and put them on the line. I should have reported it but thats my bad decision not to. Also I watched a Subway employee use a knife to scrape the old crumbs from the edge of their counter top too. These are examples of something an inspector will not see but that is also the risk of eating out all of the time. Just don’t think about it so much because stuff happens or cook dinner at home.

By Brooke Boyd

September 22, 2008 2:52 PM | Link to this

Hi I was recently at the Grape at Phipps Plaza and I had the pleasure of dining w/ roaches and baby roaches. The manager Eddie Valente was very rude and not very forthcoming, there was also a dog dining at the table next to me isn’t that againest health regulations? Thank You

By ReservoirDAWG

September 23, 2008 3:32 PM | Link to this

Brooke, dogs are a no no in Metro Atlanta. As for the roaches, the small ones are the kind that live inside, so that place was probably infested.