Royal China Restaurant in Chamblee serves some of the city’s best dim sum. Just don’t order the lobster.
An employee was observed hitting lobster against the inside of a trash can while prepping the crustacean during a recent routine health inspection. There were also four dead lobsters inside a holding tank at the restaurant at 3295 Chamblee Dunwoody Road.
The DeKalb County health inspector told the manager that food could not come in contact with any form of contamination. The lobsters were discarded.
Royal China was given a 50/U, its second consecutive failing routine health score. The restaurant had a 62/U in August, followed by a 75/C on a follow-up inspection.
In other code violations, several food items were not maintained at safe temperatures. Cooked duck hanging over the meat sink measured 51 degrees. Butter, yogurt and beef fat were all on a counter at elevated temperatures.
Points were also taken off because raw beef was thawing on a cart, and frozen sea cucumbers were thawing in stagnant water.
Employees were not washing their hands after contamination. One employee cracked raw eggs then touched clean dishes without changing gloves or washing hands. Another touched raw lobster, then rinsed hands in the meat sink and continued working with ready to eat foods. And an employee was observed entering the kitchen from outside and putting on gloves without washing hands.
The inspector also said the restaurant needed cleaning. Debris was on the floor and walls throughout the facility.
Royal China will be re-inspected. [Editor's Note: Royal China passed the follow-up inspection with 86/B.]
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