A Vietnamese pho place was marked down because of improper handling and tasting of the bean sprouts by employees.
During a recent routine inspection, a Gwinnett County health inspector observed an employee plate raw sprouts and cut limes with bare hands before serving it to customers. The food was discarded.
And in a separate incident, an employee was observed taking bean sprouts off of a customer’s plate while in the kitchen and eating them. That food was also discarded.
The inspector said Taste of Pho lacked managerial control of food processes such as bare hand contact, proper eating, tasting of food and drinking in the kitchen area. Employees were not cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces properly, nor maintaining proper hot temperatures for food safety, according to the inspection report.
Taste of Pho, 2180 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth, scored 56/U. The restaurant had previous scores of 90/A and 80/B.
Among other code violations, a container of raw shrimp was thawing in standing water. A large pot of rice was holding at an unsafe temperature. It was reheated.
An employee was cleaning dining tables with Formula 409 spray. The cleaner was replaced with a chlorine solution. Two cans of residential insecticide sprays were stored in the kitchen. They were thrown away. The three-compartment sink had a leak.
Taste of Pho is scheduled for a follow-up inspection.
In other news, another recently featured restaurant from Gwinnett County improved its health score during a follow-up inspection. Bahama Breeze, 3590 Breckinridge Blvd., Duluth, scored 86/B.
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