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A small cult of Schadenfreudians can’t wait for Sunday’s Post to skim the alerts from local departments of health to see which area restaurants have been shut down that week for health code violations. Some read out of fear that one of their regular haunts will be listed in the Hall of Shame, but others read just for the sheer joy of being able to see into the kitchen.
If you own a business that doesn’t pass muster, it obviously creates some interesting public relations problems. What do you say when the health department has declared your restuarant unfit for human consumers? Identifying ourselves only as hungry potential patrons, we called various health code violators to ask about their recent shuttering. Though employees from two establishments, Majestic Restaurant in Falls Church and the Black-Eyed Pea in Herndon, were completely honest as to why they were closed, the excuses their counterparts offered were usually something less
than savory.CP
Food Establishments Closed
for Health Code Violations
Name of BusinessDate Reason Cited for ClosingReason Given to Caller
Closed
China Chef7/20Unsanitary conditions; no”We had to clean up the kitchen
7810 East Lee Highway, certified food manager.hood service. The fan broke
Falls Churchdown, so there’s no way we could
cook inside. The smoke filled the
kitchen….It’s very hot outside,
and the smoke and the heat were filling the kitchen, and the fan
didn’t work, so the manager said
we could go home.”
China Gourmet7/15Evidence of roaches and mice; “Yesterday we were remodeling
2918 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SEunclean food contact surfaces;the kitchen….Because some of
no soap and paper towels the equipment’s getting old.”
at handsinks.
D & 11 Market7/15Evidence of rodents; outdated food “I had to go somewhere.”
1032 D St. NEitems offered for sale; garbage
disposal unit in disrepair; no running
water on the premises.
Pakeeza’s 7/9-7/13Operating without a health “I don’t know. I can’t remember. Our
Sweets and Spicesdepartment permit; selling open car broke down.”
4941 Harford Ave., Beltsvillefood without adequate facilities.
Spring Garden 7/9Evidence of roaches; potentially “It was some emergency at their
Restauranthazardous foods held at improper house, so they had to close down 3618 14th St. NWtemperatures; unclean food contact for a while.”
surfaces; no soap and paper towels
at handsinks.
Thai Classic 7/21-7/26Rodent/vermin infestation; repeat/”We need to rearrange something.
Restaurantflagrant violations; lacking means Our freezer broke down from
14511 Lee Jackson Memorialto sanitize.pressure. So I had to move around a Highway, Chantillylot of stuff….The freezer broke down,
and the food spoils, and the
health department doesn’t want
you to short the customer. They
have to approve of the new
freezer….We hope to be open
next week.”
Mr. P’s Two7/17Evidence of rodents and flies; “What difference does it make?
Restaurantunclean food contact surfaces; We’re open now. We was closed….2006 Rhode Island Ave. NEfood items held at improper That information I don’t have to give
temperatures; plumbing fixturesout. If you want to come by now,
in disrepair.you can. If not, have a nice day.”