UPDATE at 9:28 a.m. Nov. 19: Gourmet Cafe scored an 81, or B, on its follow-up inspection. You can view the report for the Nov. 15 inspection here.
ORIGINAL STORY
A longtime Marietta restaurant will have to undergo another inspection after receiving a failing grade by the local health department.
Gourmet Cafe at 1166 Franklin Gateway SE Suite 10 in Marietta scored a 65, or U, on its Nov. 5 inspection conducted by the Cobb & Douglas Public Health Department. Anything below a 70 is considered failing.
Gourmet Cafe’s previous scores were a 92, or A, awarded Sept. 4, 2018, and 87, or B, received Feb. 21, 2018.
According to the inspector’s report, Gourmet Cafe was cited for a hand-washing sink that was blocked and filled with empty cartons. It also had raw egg shells stored above ready-to-eat food; fish fillets, burger patties, tenders, and shrimp stored uncovered in the reach-in cooler; and cheese and ranch dressing stored in the prep cooler measuring above 41 degrees Fahrenheit.
An employee was also seen preparing food while wearing jewelry, and bleach and liquid plumber were stored alongside cooking oil and vinegar, the report said.
The restaurant also had heavy grease buildup on the sides of fryers, hood vents and pipes, and “severely soiled” foil paper lining the shelves underneath the flat top grill, according to the report.
In an emailed statement, the restaurant said the recent score is “not a true representation to the state of our restaurant standards by any means.”
In the last two weeks, Gourmet Cafe said it hired a kitchen team member, replaced its kitchen sink and bought a new cooler unit. Those items had to be moved around to allow for repairs, installation and cleanup. This led to the restaurant getting cited for blocking the hand-washing sink and the cleaning items being placed next to the cooking oil.
The owners also said they’ve addressed the concerns about food storage and temperatures by directing employees to “take special precaution to maintain storage standards especially during this re-organizing period.”
“As owners of such a long-time establishment in the same exact location, we have always been particularly aware of the necessity to maintain great inspection standards,” the restaurant said.
Gourmet Cafe will be re-inspected within 10 days of the original inspection.
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