Moldy strawberries, dirty shelves. See latest Whatcom restaurant inspections
Moldy strawberries, dirty shelves and shrimp tempura stored at room temperature.
Those were a few of the health code violations discovered by Whatcom County inspectors at local restaurants during the month of March.
Whatcom County Health and Community Services inspects about 850 restaurants and other food-serving facilities each year, holding every eatery to the same high standards.
While most eateries pass their inspections with few issues, a few have health code violations that require a follow-up, re-inspection or, occasionally, permit suspension.
In March, the county agency inspected a total of 74 permanent food establishments.
Here’s how it works:
What do Whatcom County restaurant inspectors look for?
Whatcom County Health and Community Services said it regularly inspects “restaurants, food trucks, coffee shops, bars, grocery stores and more to make sure that food is handled properly so it is safe to eat.”
The Washington State Retail Food Code outlines the rules for safely handling food that’s served to the public.
Examples of high-risk violations, which can contribute directly to foodborne illness, include:
- Cooking meats to the incorrect temperature.
- Not keeping cold food cold enough.
- Food contamination.
- Handwashing.
- Serving food that is not from an approved source.
- Worker health and hygiene.
Low-risk violations related to maintenance and sanitation are “less likely to cause illness,” Whatcom County health officials said, but must also be corrected.
What happens after Whatcom County restaurants are inspected?
According to Whatcom County health officials, inspections of restaurants and other eateries fall into the following categories:
- Approved: The eatery had zero or very few safety violations, and there is no need for follow-up.
- Follow-up required: The eatery had some violations but doesn’t need to be re-inspected. Any high-risk violations are corrected right away, and inspectors usually check in with the establishment again within 60 days.
- Re-inspection required: The eatery had many high risk or repeat violations. All high-risk violations are corrected immediately. Inspectors increase the frequency of their inspections, and the establishment is re-inspected again within 60 days.
- Permit suspension: The eatery was ordered to close immediately on a temporary basis because there was a severe health hazard such an outbreak of illness, sewage backup or lack of water. When a permit is suspended, the person who operates the establishment must attend a hearing and correct all violations, and the establishment must be re-inspected before the permit is reinstated.
You can find the results of Whatcom County restaurant inspections online on the Food Safety Inspections page.
Search by the food establishment’s name, street name or city.
What happens if an eatery needs re-inspection?
If an establishment is in need a follow-up or re-inspection, Whatcom County Health and Community Services pays a courtesy visit to the owners, according to Tom Kunesh, Whatcom County food safety supervisor.
During this visit, health officials go through the health codes the eatery violated and explain the steps that can be taken to correct it.
“It’s a little bit of a complicated process that tries to focus more on education than enforcement,” Kunesh said. “If a restaurant operator has a series of problems, we’ll order immediate correction for everything that can be quickly corrected.”
What restaurants passed inspections in March?
A number of Whatcom County restaurants and eateries earned “approved” status after undergoing inspection in March, with no or few health code violations.
Issues observed by inspectors in March included employees failing to produce up-to-date food handler permits and a lack of paper towels in handwashing areas.
Bellingham
- Ambo Ethiopian Cuisine on State Street
- Avenue Bread and Deli in Fairhaven
- Banter
- Barlean’s Fshery
- Busara Thai Cuisine
- Carl Cozier Elementary School
- Community Food Co-Op
- Cordata Elementary School
- El Rinconcito
- Fisher Elementary School
- Guisos De Mexico
- Harmony Elementary School
- Hey Dumplin’
- In and Out Food Mart
- Locus- Holly Street
- Mediterranean Specialties
- Millet Bakery
- Northern Heights Elementary School
- Olive Garden Italian Restaurant No. 1487
- On Rice Thai Cuisine and Spirits
- Options High School
- Plantage
- Queen Tide Oyster Co.
- Ramen & Bowl
- Roam Coffee and Beer
- Sabor Latino
- Safeway, Sunset Drive location
- Shakedown
- Southside
- Super Mario’s No. 2
- Tacos Alejandra
- Trader Joe’s No. 151
- Trader Joe’s No. 274
- Valley Market and Deli
- Wade King Elementary School
- Waterfront
Blaine
- Beach Store Café
- Blaine Elementary School
- Blaine High School
- Blaine High School Culinary Arts Room
- Blaine Primary School
- Blaine Middle School
- IGA Market
Deming
- Deming Quick Stop
- Mount Baker Junior High School
- Mount Baker Senior High Schools
- The Mountaineers Baker Lodge
- North Fork
- Paradise Market
Everson
- Raspberry Ridge Golf Course
Ferndale
- Los Cabos Latin Mart
- Twin Sisters Creamery
- Papa Murphy’s No. 143
- Nopal Family Restaurant
Lummi Island
- Beach Store Café
Lynden
- Avenue Bread and Deli
- Carniceria Los Hermanos
- Dominos Lynden
- Grounded in Life Coffee Cart
- Northwood Market
- Taco Bell
- The Farm Store
Maple Falls
- Kendall Elementary School
Moldy strawberries, too-warm meat at Bellingham restaurants
In March, Whatcom County health inspectors flagged six local restaurants as being in need of re-inspection due to multiple high-risk or repeat violations.
“Our goal is to complete follow-up inspections within 60 days after the routine (inspection),” Kunesh told The Bellingham Herald.
Here’s what health inspectors found:
Subway, 3011 Cinema Place, No. 103 in Bellingham, had three violations on March 3.
Meatballs in the steam table at the Subway sandwich shop were slightly too cold for consumption.
Both service line units were unable to hold foods at 41 degrees or less, the March 3 report said, adding that inspectors noticed the same issue during the past two routine inspections.
Beef, bologna, shredded lettuce and tomatoes all measured too warm to be considered safe.
Sanitizer was not being appropriated pulled from the bottle into the dispenser.
Subway could not be reached for comment on Thursday, April 9.
As of Friday, April 10, the restaurant had yet to be re-inspected.
Luna’s Bistro, 3004 Cinema Place in Bellingham, had six health code violations on March 9.
Health inspectors spotted a container of strawberries with “visible white, fuzzy mold” in the bottom of the prep cooler, according to the March 9 report.
Inspectors watched a food worker at the Bellingham restaurant leave the kitchen area, discard their gloves, go to the front area, then return to the kitchen area and don gloves before working with food equipment and food.
However, the worker did not wash their hands between glove uses or when re-entering the kitchen area.
A food worker took three whole tomatoes from their original container in the walk-in cooler and proceeded to cut the tomatoes without washing them.
A handwashing sink in the back prep area was “visibly blocked” by large boxes of takeout containers and drink lids.
Heavy cream measured too warm to be considered safe.
Chowder, pasta, potatoes and an opened container of heavy cream didn’t have date marks.
When reached by a Herald reporter on Thursday, Luna’s Bistro declined to comment.
As of Friday, the restaurant had not been re-inspected.
Bellis Inn, 3710 Meridian St. in Bellingham, had six violations on March 6.
Waffle batter at the Bellingham hotel was stored at room temperature, according to the March 6 report.
Sausage links and hard-boiled eggs stored in a warmer set at “max” also measured outside the temperature range considered safe. All foods were thrown away after the breakfast service.
Bellis Hotel did not used approved equipment or processes to heat pre-cooked sausage links and hard-boiled eggs. Leftovers were thrown away after the breakfast service.
In addition, apples were not washed at the produce washing sink, which had the water turned off.
The valve for the hot water tap at the handwashing sink was closed, and there were no paper towels or soap at the sink.
During inspectors’ visit, staffers opened the valve, allowing hot water to flow. Soap was made available and a paper towel roll was placed near the sink.
“Copies of food worker cards are not available to show” the inspector, the report said.
Bellis Inn could not be reached Thursday for comment.
The restaurant had not been re-inspected as of Friday.
Nori Sushi & Teriyaki, 520 Cherry St. in Sumas had eight health code violations on March 10.
Inspectors observed a worker at the Sumas sushi restaurant eating personal food, including peanuts. However, when an order came in, the worker did not wash their hands before putting on gloves.
A knife used to cut cooked chicken was stored on a wall-mounted magnetic strip, but the wall and magnetic strip were not cleaned and sanitized.
Several foods including cooked chicken, tofu, salad and cream cheese blocks did not have proper date markings.
Shrimp tempera and sushi rice stored at room temperature measured outside of the temperature range considered safe.
Food equipment such as metal bowls, utensils, and pans were washed with soap and water but not sanitized prior to being air dried.
Parts of shelves, tables, and equipment were not fully washed, rinsed, and sanitized following flood damage in December, inspectors said in the March 10 report, noting that there was “visible dust, dirt and debris” on the walls, equipment, shelves and floors.
In addition, there was an odor in the cooking area resembling “stale, putrid grey water,” the report said.
Wastewater plumbing under the back three-compartment sink had visible leaks, and inspectors saw water on the floor.
Nori Sushi & Teriyaki could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
As of Friday, the restaurant had not been re-inspected.
Espresso Avellino, 1329 Railroad Ave. in Bellingham, had six health code violations on March 18.
Quiche, vegetables, meat and frittata in the refrigerated customer pastry case measured outside of the temperature range considered safe, according to the March 18 report.
Someone reported hearing “a strange knocking noise” in the case and notified the off-site person in charge, the report said.
The Bellingham coffee shop’s owner told the Herald that the case had broken the day of the inspection and a professional was called, adding that it’s since been fixed.
None of the food had been served to customers, and it was thrown away.
Cream cheese stored in the two-door work-top cooler did not have the appropriate seven-day date marking.
The inside of the ice machine had “visible splatters of non-water residue” near areas that make contact with ice used for drink preparation, the report said.
The Bellingham coffee shop had not been reinspected as of Friday.
Cj’s Beach House, 7878 Birch Bay Drive, Suite A, in Birch Bay had four health code violations on March 27.
Clam chowder at the Birch Bay seafood restaurant was being improperly cooled in deep hotel pans and measured outside the temperature range considered safe.
It was “voluntarily discarded,” the March 27 report said.
In addition, deli meat and sliced tomatoes in the prep top cooler measured too warm to be safe for consumption.
Seafood was stored above ready-to-eat salsa in the three-door standing cooler in the back area.
No chlorine was detected in the dishwasher’s sanitizer solution at the time of the inspection.
Cj’s Beach House could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
As of Friday, the restaurant had not been reinspected.