NBC12.com-Richmond, VA News, Weather, Traffic & SportsDecember 15 Restaurant Report

December 15 Restaurant Report

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By Heather Sullivan - bio | email

  • Critical ViolationsCritical Violations

  • Monday, May 14 2012 5:44 PM EDT2012-05-14 21:44:45 GMT
    Every Thursday on the Restaurant Report, we show you restaurants with critical violations on their health inspections. It may surprise you to learn that the Health Department temporarily shuts down about
    Every Thursday on the Restaurant Report, we show you restaurants with critical violations on their health inspections. It may surprise you to learn that the Health Department temporarily shuts down about 230 restaurants across the state every year. That's because the Health Department says it doesn't usually include shutdown information on reports you can see. We went to investigate why.

  • Thursday, May 10 2012 11:15 PM EDT2012-05-11 03:15:24 GMT
    Temperature and hand washing violations landed two restaurants on this week's Critical List. This week's Restaurant Report begins at Cracker Barrel, 12401 Redwater Creek Road in Chesterfield, which had

    Temperature and hand washing violations landed two restaurants on this week's Critical List.

  • Thursday, May 3 2012 11:15 PM EDT2012-05-04 03:15:42 GMT
    It's tee time and tea time in this week's NBC12 Restaurant Report. Restaurant's range from a golf club to a tea room. Country clubs are usually known for excellent food and service. The Lake Chesdin Golf

    It's tee time and tea time in this week's NBC12 Restaurant Report. Restaurant's range from a golf club to a tea room.

  • Friday, April 27 2012 5:45 AM EDT2012-04-27 09:45:32 GMT
    There's a new restaurant in Shockoe Bottom. Tio Pablo is a Mexican restaurant opened by the owner of Lulu's and Millie's. Tio Pablo serves up tacos, tamales and tequilas, as well as to-go orders, including

    Every Friday morning for the next month, we're going to show you what most popular restaurants, according to our viewers on Facebook, for things like being good for kids, mom's night out, and first dates.

  • Thursday, April 26 2012 11:15 PM EDT2012-04-27 03:15:28 GMT
    Gloves are at the heart of this Restaurant Report. One restaurant used color coded gloves to win the Hall of Fame Award. Another was written up when two workers put gloves in their mouths. It happened

    Gloves are at the heart of this Restaurant Report. One restaurant used color coded gloves to win the Hall of Fame Award. Another was written up when two workers put gloves in their mouths.

  • Thursday, April 12 2012 11:15 PM EDT2012-04-13 03:15:40 GMT
    In this Restaurant Report, violations range from dirty gloves to dirty equipment.

  • Thursday, April 5 2012 11:15 PM EDT2012-04-06 03:15:46 GMT
    For this Restaurant Report, we went back in time to the century old Hippodrome Theater, newly restored and reopened just six months ago.

  • Thursday, March 29 2012 11:15 PM EDT2012-03-30 03:15:40 GMT

    Hospitals serve food to patients, staff and visitors every day. That's why their food service is inspected just like a restaurant. After a local hospital had seven critical violations on an inspection, they say they jumped into action to get the problems fixed.

  • Thursday, March 15 2012 11:15 PM EDT2012-03-16 03:15:55 GMT
    Not only do dishes and any food preparation surfaces have to be cleaned, the state requires that they be sanitized with a chlorine solution to make sure bacteria is killed. Restaurants were reminded of that in this edition of the Restaurant Report.

  • Thursday, March 8 2012 11:15 PM EST2012-03-09 04:15:50 GMT
    The State Health Department says restaurants can safely thaw frozen foods either in a refrigerator, in a microwave, or under running water. Any other method, they say, could leave food sitting at the wrong temperature and harmful bacteria could grow.

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Michael Ng has been running four Thai Cabin food carts in downtown Richmond for 13 years.

"One of my mottos in the restaurant is if I won't eat it, I won't serve it," he told us.

Ng's carts usually pass inspection with flying colors. But this time, at the cart at the corner of 10th and Main: "I messed up!" he explained. "We have four critical violations but they have been taken care of. It kills me inside because I'm hard on myself as it is. I strive for perfection every day."

He showed us rice and noodles are time-tracked to make sure they're always hot enough, and the creamer is being kept cold enough.

"We had it just on ice but it kind of floated on top. This time it actually sinks down into the icy water," he showed us.

Ng says the cart has been freshly cleaned and painted, and he wants you to know, "It's fixed and hopefully you guys will forgive me."

In Chesterfield, La Palmera at 7701 Midlothian Turnpike just earned the NBC12 Hall of Fame Award in August. But its streak of perfect scores was broken with 5 critical violations on an inspection. The report says water was dripping from a leaking roof down into the walk-in cooler and contaminating food.  The report states the restaurant had undergone a complete staffing change.  Our calls to the manager were not returned.  But La Palmera had the roof and cooler repaired by the next inspection and earned a perfect score. 

In Henrico, Hardee's at 4841 South Laburnum Avenue has had 4 critical violations on each of its last three inspections. Most recently, the report says some chicken breasts were undercooked. A manager told us "no comment" when we called. The report says the chicken breasts were re-cooked and violations were corrected during the inspection.

This week's NBC12 Hall of Fame Award goes to Tati's Cafe, inside the building at 1011 Boulder Springs Drive in Chesterfield for six perfect inspections in a row.

Firehouse Subs just opened a new shop at 12059 Southshore Pointe Drive in Midlothian, featuring a mural of Chesterfield firefighters putting out a fire at the historic ruins of Grove Shaft.

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  • NBC12's Restaurant Report airs each Thursday night at 11 p.m. and features the health inspection results from restaurants in Richmond, Hanover, Henrico and Chesterfield. Learn more about the Restaurant Report.
    NBC12's Restaurant Report airs each Thursday night at 11 p.m. and features the health inspection results from restaurants in Richmond, Hanover, Henrico and Chesterfield.