RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) -
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.
Japanese steakhouse Kabuto, at 13158 Midlothian Turnpike in Chesterfield, had 5 critical violations on a State Health inspection. The report says they were using an improper method to thaw imitation crab meat. But violations were corrected during the inspection. Kabuto had two critical on a follow-up inspection. The manager tells us those are fixed, too. He says they make sure all food is dated, and they're printing a new menu with the required disclosure that some foods are served raw.
In Richmond, Blimpie at 324 Cowardin Avenue also had 5 critical violations, including that some condensate was dripping onto uncovered food in the walk-in freezer. There was no answer at Blimpie went we went by and called during business hours. But critical violations were all corrected but one by the follow-up inspection ten days later.
At China King, 4362 South Laburnum Avenue in Henrico, this Chinese restaurant had 5 critical violations. The inspector wrote that a worker did not properly wash and sanitize some pans before putting fried rice in them. Some violations were corrected on the spot, but the report says most of them were because workers did not understand how to do things properly and they needed to undergo training.
No lack of training in this week's NBC12 Hall of Fame Award winner. Kathy Deleguardia opened Brooks Diner at 1600 Brook Road in Richmond two years ago. She and her staff have aced four of six health inspections, and have never had a single critical violation.
"I'm a detail freak, according to my staff. I can't take credit for all of it. We're all pretty conscience of cleanliness," said Deleguardia.
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