UPDATE:
The restaurant was re-inspected Wednesday and scored a 99/A. The only violation was for “single-service articles handled, displayed, or dispensed in a manner that allows for contamination,” the new report said.
ORIGINAL STORY (published June 26):
A popular Atlanta breakfast and lunch spot has failed a recent health inspection, Fulton County records show.
West Egg Café scored a 66/U following the Monday evaluation. The restaurant's prior score from December, was an 86/B. Scores below 70 are considered failing.
According to the Monday report, an inspector "observed mold growth on strawberries stored inside a cooler."
Officials also reported “heavy mold-like black marks on a green cutting board” and a “failure to label food containers across the kitchen.”
Co-owner Jennifer Johnson said West Egg takes its health and safety obligations “very seriously.”
"Our front of house and back of house management perform a thorough self-inspection every day prior to service," Johnson said in an email Tuesday. "We understand why the health department must have firm rules in place and this score is unacceptable to us, but ... at no time do we feel food safety was compromised."
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READ | How to check restaurant health inspections in metro Atlanta counties
Follow-up inspections are generally completed within 10 days of the original evaluation.
Here is West Egg’s complete response to the seven violations:
"1. 'Observed mold growth on strawberries' — fruit arrives to us in different stages of ripeness and individual pieces spoil at different rates and we discard any fruit that is moldy; we NEVER would have served a moldy strawberry
2. 'Observed failure to cover food in storage units' — waffle/pancake batter container not covered; during peak service time (note that the inspection took place from 11:40am-1pm, during peak service), our cooks are putting the batter in and out of the refrigerator each time they use it. The lid slides off because there is a ladle in the batter. At all times when the batter is not actively being poured on to the flattop, the container of batter is on a shelf, in refrigeration, where nothing can contaminate it. We are looking into another container, however, that would avoid the issue of the lid sliding off.
3. 'Observed heavy mold-like black marks on a green cutting board' — That board was being used to cut potatoes. The starch from the potatoes turns brown when exposed to the air. It was potato starch on the board. We would NEVER use a moldy cutting board.
4. 'Observed failure to cold hold foods such as sausages and tomatoes at 41 degrees' — prior to peak service, when all of the refrigerator doors were closed, our internal inspection documented that these foods temped at the proper temperature (the managers check the temperatures and write them on a daily form, as they did the morning of this inspection). Once service starts and refrigerator doors are opened and closed often, those temperatures rise. These containers of food are small — larger quantities are kept in the walk in cooler, undisturbed during peak service — and would be used entirely during service quickly, long before any slight variations in temperature would affect their safety. Any remaining contents of these small containers would not carry over to another service.
5. 'Observed failure to date-mark food prepped onsite and stored for more than 24hrs.' — we had sausage in a small container, in refrigeration, which we expected to use during that meal service, unlabeled. We did have pickles in the cooler past the 7 day allowable date range.
6. ‘Observed failure to label food containers’ — the cooking oil squeeze bottles were not labeled with their contents. Due to the oily bottle, we have trouble getting tape for labels to stick to these bottles. We will find a solution, however, for labelling these bottles.
7. 'Observed food stored on the floor' — There was not food stored on the floor. There was a container that had potatoes being discarded that was placed on the floor where dirty dishes are put for pickup. The food that was left in that container was not being stored and was not being served. It was being discarded."
1100 Howell Mill Road NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30318
Score: 66
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