Moldy Cool Whip, a baby cockroach, and warm raw meat among violations found in 11 area restaurants

By  Pamela G. Dempsey/CU-CitizenAccess.org — Eleven restaurants failed health inspections in October, with critical violations ranging from employees not washing hands to potentially hazardous foods out of safe temperature ranges.

One restaurant, Smoky’s House BBQ, was closed down after it failed a re-inspection.

Inspectors temporarily shut down Smoky’s House BBQ, 1333 Savoy Plaza Lane, Savoy, Oct. 7 after citing the restaurant for five critical violations, including meats such as sausages and ribs that were found to be out of safe temperature ranges.

The restaurant scored 13, a failing score. It was allowed to reopen on Oct. 9 after scoring 92 on its follow-up inspection.

Restaurants fail if they score 35 or below. If they score below zero they are automatically closed down. Restaurants with a failing score upon reinspection are also closed down.

Smoky’s House BBQ failed its routine health inspection on Sept. 3 with an adjusted score of 24. Inspectors cited the restaurant then for seven critical violations including several pieces of meat that were out of safe temperature ranges.

For the past five years, public health officials have worked on a plan to make health inspection results more public.

In 2011, CU-CitizenAccess began posting failed health inspection reports.

Earlier this year, the county board of health directed Champaign-Urbana Public Health District officials to draft ordinances that would require food establishments and restaurants to post a color-coded placard corresponding to health inspection results.

Yet in November, the county board voted down a proposal to do just that.

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District board, which governs health inspections in Champaign and Urbana approved the proposal and will require restaurants with in the twin cities to post a color-coded placard starting in January.

Noted below are the score and number of critical violations of the restaurants and food establishments that failed health inspections in October 2013. Restaurants with adjusted scores 36 or above are considered passing. At four or five points, critical violations are scored higher because of the potential health impact they have on customers.

The score also depends on the amount of non-critical violations, which can range from one point to two.

The total amount of points are deducted from a score of 100, with additional points taken off for the number of critical violations as well as the number of repeat violations.

Bo Bo’s BBQ, 1511 W. Springfield Ave., Champaign:

Inspected on Oct. 30 with an adjusted score of 35 and four critical violations including employees who were observed not washing hands after drinking from personal beverages and an employee moving a trash bin with hands and then putting on gloves as well as adjusting his clothes, scratching his head and then handling food.

Bombay Indian Grill, 401 E. Green St., Champaign:

Inspected on Oct. 22 with an adjusted score of 21 and five critical violations including raw chicken out of safe temperature ranges and homemade yogurt out of temperature ranges. The facility is not licensed to make their own yogurt or milk products.

B. Won, 2006 S. Neil St., Champaign:

Inspected on Oct. 3 with an adjusted score of 33 with four critical violations including raw meats and eggs at unsafe temperatures and employees who did not wash their hands.

Chinatown Buffet, 713 Marketview Dr., Champaign:

Inspected on Oct. 23 with an adjusted score of 21 and five critical violations including a live baby German roach seen on the wall above the hand sink and employees not washing hands.

Freeman’s Tavern, 108 W. Main, Royal:

Inspected on Oct. 17 with an adjusted score of 11 and eight critical violations including an ice machine with an “overly excessive amount of mold”; ready-to-eat food not dated with several foods months past expiration date; raw meat thawing in one compartment of a three-compartment sink, which also held dishes; and no sanitizer available in the facility.

Golden Harbor, 505 S. Neil St., Champaign:

Inspected on Oct. 9 with an adjusted score of 35 and three critical violations including raw chicken and shrimp out of safe temperature ranges and cooked chicken and eggs out of safe temperature ranges.

Papa D’s, 401 E. Green St., Champaign:

Inspected on Oct. 22 with an adjusted score of 27 and six critical violations including cooked food out of safe temperature ranges and bottles of bleach stored on a food prep counter.

Red Herring Restaurant, 1209 W. Oregon, Urbana:

Inspected on Oct. 2 with an adjusted score of 29 and five critical violations including cooked food out of safe temperature ranges as well as other foods, such as vegan mayo and garlic and oil mixture, out of safe temperature ranges.

Traxside Bar and Grill, 4 E. Holden St.., Tolono:

Inspected on Oct. 29 with an adjusted score of 25 and five critical violations including a container of Cool Whip found molded and open containers of sour cream, milk and deli meat not dated.

Woori Jib, 710 S. Sixth St., Champaign:

Inspected on Oct. 28 with an adjusted score of 21 and five critical violations including raw food out of safe temperature ranges and dirty water splashing into bowls used for food.

CU-CitizenAccess.org