Business & Tech

Arlington Restaurant Inspection Reports: IHOP, Fireworks and More

Each week, we'll be publishing the latest round of restaurant inspection reports in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.

In Virginia, restaurant inspection reports aren't quite as simple as getting a letter grade or an easy-to-see number rating to post in the front window.

That said, we all want to know how our favorite restaurants stack up on cleanliness and sanitation.

In Arlington County, inspectors grade restaurants based on benchmarks set in the most recent version of the Food and Drug Administration Code

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Establishments can be cited for violations of "core" items, "priority" items and "priority foundation" items.

  • A core item "usually relates to general sanitation, operational controls, sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs), facilities or structures, equipment design, or general maintenance."
  • A priority item is "a provision in this Code whose application contributes directly to the elimination, prevention or reduction to an acceptable level, hazards associated with foodborne illness or injury and there is no other provision that more directly controls the hazard," and "includes items with a quantifiable measure to show control of hazards such as cooking, reheating, cooling, handwashing."
  • A priority foundation item "includes an item that requires the purposeful incorporation of specific actions, equipment or procedures by industry management to attain control of risk factors that contribute to foodborne illness or injury such as personnel training, infrastructure or necessary equipment, HACCP plans, documentation or record keeping, and labeling."

Since our , the following area restaurants have been inspected by the Virginia Department of Health. The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

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The Italian Store

  • Priority Item An employee was observed eating pizza in an area other than designated break area while preparing/handling food or contacting clean food contact surfaces.
  • Priority Item An open beverage container not stored to prevent contamination of a food employee's hands, the container, exposed food, and/or clean equipment was observed.
  • Priority Item A food employee failed to wash his or her hands before donning gloves for working with food.
  • Priority Item Swollen cans observed on the dry storage shelving not safe, unadulterated, and/or honestly presented. Removed.
  • Priority Item The hand sink at the front of the house by the soda dispensers dose not have working hot or warm water; employees are using the hand sink in the kitchen and the sink is due to be repaired this week.
  • Priority Item Repeat Cheese (45 degrees and 48 degrees), boiled eggs (51 degrees), lettuce (65 degrees, discarded), and cut melons (46 degrees) were observed cold holding at the improper temperatures in the one-door, three-drawer prep refrigerator on the cook line. Cheese (44 degrees) and bacon (49 degrees) were observed in the two-door stacked refrigerator at improper temperatures. Chocolate milk (54 degrees) was observed in the two-door refrigerator at the wait station; all PHFs were removed from that unit pending repair/servicing.
  • Priority Item Employees observed contacting ready-to-eat (RTE) food with their bare hands. Employee observed cutting limes at bar with bare hands.
  • Core Item No supply of hand soap at pasta area hand wash station.
  • Core Item No hand towels at pasta area hand wash station.
  • Priority Item Raw animal foods are not separated from each other during storage, preparation, holding and/or display. Raw chicken stored above sausage in walk in.
  • Priority Item Repeat After being cleaned, equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils are not sanitized in the hot water mechanical operations by being cycled through equipment that is properly set up and/or achieving a utensil surface temperature of 160 degrees as measured by an irreversible registering temperature indicator.
  • Priority Item Repeat Cooked chicken at 45 degrees, mozerella cheese at 46 degrees in 10-drawer pizza prep. Raw chicken and raw shrimp at 50 degrees in No. 2 six-drawer prep unit. Cheesecake at 46 degrees in dessert display.
  • Priority Item A food employee failed to wash his or her hands before donning gloves for working with food.
  • Core Item No sign by the hand sink in the kitchen near the bar; a sign or poster that notifies food employees to wash their hands is not provided at all handwashing lavatories used by food employees and/or is not clearly visible to food employees.
  • Core Item No sign by the hand sink in the kitchen near the bar; a sign or poster that notifies food employees to wash their hands is not provided at all handwashing lavatories used by food employees and/or is not clearly visible to food employees.
  • Priority Item One can with a dent on the side seam observed in the dry storage area.
  • Priority Item Label missing from mussels in the walk-in cooler, the mussels were discarded during the inspection.
  • Priority Item No date of last use observed on the filed shellstock tags; inadequate record keeping system of shellstock tags.
  • Priority Item Repeat Salad prep bowls observed placed on top of food in the two-door "Kairek" prep refrigerator; food in contact with soiled equipment or utensils.
  • Priority Item No sanitizer residual initially observed at the bar dishwasher; after being cleaned, equipment food-contact surfaces and utensils are not sanitized in a chemical manual or mechanical operations, using a proper solution.
  • Priority Item Repeat Cooked cut tomatoes and raw chicken cold holding at the improper temperatures of 46 degrees in the walk-in cooler.
  • Priority Item No asterisk observed in the menu to link the rare tuna to the consumer disclaimer.
  • Priority Item Unlabeled bottle observed in the dry storage area.
  • Priority Item Gota cheese (50 degrees) observed at improper cold holding temperature in the "True" four-drawer prep refrigerator (right).
  • Priority Item A food employee failed to wash his or her hands and then put on new gloves during food preparation when changing tasks.
  • Core Item Repeat Ice observed in the front kitchen hand sink.
  • Core Item No hand soap availabel at the back hand sink.
  • Priority Item Drink ice at the bar observed in contact with the bottom of condiment dispenser and left or covered; food in contact with soiled equipment or utensils.
  • Priority Item Raw meat observed over falafel batter in the walk-in cooler. Ready-to-eat food is not protected from cross contamination by separating them from raw animal foods.
  • Priority Item Repeat No sanitizer observed in either the bar dishwasher or in the main dishwasher. The staff will use the three-part sink until the problem is resolved.
  • Priority Item Repeat Half and half was observed cold holding on ice at the improper temperature of 50 degrees.
  • Priority Item Unlabeled bottle of Windex observed at the bar. Working containers used for storing poisonous or toxic materials are not clearly and/or individually identified with the common name of the material.
  • Core Item Drain-flies and roaches observed in the establishment.
  • Core Item Repeat Food observed on the floor of the walk-in freezer; stored food is not protected from contamination.
  • Core Item Half and half container oberved stored in icewater; packaged food stored in direct contact with ice or water.
  • Core Item Repeat Knife at the bar stored between the rubber mat and the equipment top; food preparation and dispensing utensils are improperly stored.
  • Core Item Repeat The kitchen aid mixer and food processor are home grade and not designed and constructed to be durable.
  • Core Item Repeat The rear hand sink needs to be properly sealed to the wall.
  • Priority Foundation Item The waste pipe for the three-part sink was observed in need of repair.
  • Core Item The cardboard Dumpster used by the entire building is missing the covers.
  • Core Item After use, the mop is not placed in a position that allows it to air-dry without soiling walls, equipment or supplies.
  • Core Item The area around the rear grease trap and the area under the dish machine are not cleaned as often as necessary to keep them clean.
  • Priority Item The food establishment is not under the immediate control of a Northern Virginia certified food manager.
  • Priority Item An open beverage container and/or a closed beverage container not handled to prevent contamination of a food employee's hands, the container, exposed food and/or clean equipment was observed.
  • Priority Item Repeat Pepperoni cold holding at the improper temperature of 48 degrees in the "Superior" two-drawer pizza prep refrigerator.
  • Priority Item Repeat Chicken breasts and sausage prepared and held in the food establishment for more than 24 hours is not clearly marked to indicate the date or day by which the food shall be consumed on the premises, sold or discarded.

Super Pollo "Charcoal Chicken"

  • Core Item Insect, rodent and/or other pest harborage conditions exist on the premises. Some flies found in the kitchen.
  • Core Item Repeat Box of oil found on the floor in kitchen. Container with food found on the floor in the walk-in freezer.
  • Core Item Containers observed stacked wet after washing.
  • Core Item Cloths used as lining and under cutting board.
  • Priority Item Repeat The food establishment is not under the immediate control of a Northern Virginia certified food manager. The PIC has passed ServSafe (Ctft # 8976879, exp. 04/07/2017) but has not got a Northern Virginia Certified Food Manager's License yet.
  • Priority Item Repeat Utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment were not sanitized after cleaning. An employee was observed just rinsing utensils without sanitizing. Three-compartment sink was not set up.
  • Priority Item Repeat Boiled eggs, sliced ham, turkey, bologna and cheese observed over 60 degrees in the center refrigerator.
  • Priority Item Repeat Tomato sauce, pasta and eggplant parmesan, prepared and held in the food establishment for more than 24 hours is not clearly marked to indicate the date or day by which the food shall be consumed on the premises, sold or discarded.
  • Priority Item An employee was eating, drinking and/or using tobacco in an area where contamination of exposed food or clean equipment may occur.
  • Priority Item Food employees did not use proper cleaning procedures to clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms. An employee was observed just rinsing hands in warewashing sink.
  • Priority Item A food employee failed to wash his or her hands when switching between working with raw food and ready to eat food.
  • Priority Item Employees observed contacting ready-to-eat (RTE) food (Sushi) with their bare hands.
  • Core Item Repeat The handwashing station at the sushi bar is being used to clean wiping cloth towels.
  • Priority Item Raw, raw marinated, partially cooked, or marinated partially cooked fish for service or sale in the ready-to-eat form was not frozen to ensure parasite destruction. No parasite destruction letter is available.


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