A Guatemalan restaurant in Chamblee had eight critical food safety violations, plus roaches in the kitchen and the cooler during a recent routine health inspection.
The DeKalb County health inspector observed both adult and nymph roaches in the facility, but when asked to see the latest pest service report, only the service agreement was available.
Restaurant Guatemalteco El Quetzal, 5522 New Peachtree Road, Chamblee, scored 45/U. Previous scores were 77/C and 76/C.
Points were taken off because potentially hazardous foods were not being protected.
Raw meat was thawing at room temperature instead of under running water or inside a cooler.
Cooked plantains and potatoes were cooling at room temperature instead of in an ice bath or walk-in cooler. The foods were not within cooling time and temperature requirements either, the inspector noted.
Raw beef was stored above cooked tamales in the walk-in cooler.
In other code violations, an employee rinsed hands without soap in the four-compartment sink. An employee’s open drink was stored near clean dishes.
Cutting boards were pitted, grooved and stained. They were discarded during the inspection.
Bulk foods, taken out of their original containers, were not labeled in their new containers.
Points were also taken off because the restaurant did not post its latest inspection report in public view, there was no consumer advisory in place for raw animal foods being cooked to order, and the employee health policy, which is supposed to be kept on site, was not available.
Restaurant Guatemalteco El Quetzal will be re-inspected.
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