Hand washing issues, employees eating get restaurants B’s in Beaufort, Jasper counties
Two food businesses in Beaufort County and one in Jasper County were cited with “B” grades in January health inspections by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control:
Cheap Seats Tavern 2, 142A Burnt Church Road in Bluffton, scored an 83% (B) on Jan. 29 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included: The person in charge was not a certified food handler, an employee was eating and drinking from an unlidded cup on the hot food line, the bar hand sink had no soap; there were issues with cold food holding temperatures, pizza by the slice was held outside of temperature control without a time stamp, the facility did not have an appropriate probe thermometer to measure the temperature of food, wet and soiled wiping cloths were on cutting boards of the salad station and hot line, a knife was stored wedged under cutting board between uses, and freezers in back room had damaged lids and gaskets unable to form a seal.
The restaurant was reinspected on Feb. 8 and scored a 100% (A).
Chin Dynasty China Bistro, 108 Buckwalter Parkway, Suite 2H, in Bluffton, scored an 83% (B) on Jan. 17 in a routine inspection. Issues noted by inspectors included: An employee was eating on clean dish drainboard, the sushi line handwashing sink was blocked by equipment and inaccessible, the kitchen and sushi line hand washing sinks had no soap, the kitchen mechanical dishwasher was lacking chlorine, rice was held on the sushi line without a time stamp, an ice scoop handle was turned down into the ice at the soda station, ready-to-eat fried wontons were stored in cardboard box that is absorbant and not washable, cutting boards were deeply scarred and discolored, the kitchen floor was cracked, chipping and no longer easily cleanable, and there were exposed utility service lines and unprotected fluorescent light tubes directly over the hot line.
The restaurant was reinspected on Jan. 26 and scored a 100% (A).
Dairy Queen, 80 Blue Heron Drive in Ridgeland, scored an 81% (B) on Jan. 2 in a routine inspection that was the result of public complaints. Issues noted by inspectors included: The person in charge was not a certified food handler, the facility did not have written health and cleanup procedures, there were multiple containers of employee food items throughout the facility including an unlidded employee beverage in the food prep area, the hot water valve was turned off at the main kitchen hand washing station and signage was not provided at hand washing stations in the kitchen and ice cream prep area, there were knives with an accumulation of food debris in the ice cream preparation area, containers for ice cream toppings and bagged ice cream mixture had an accumulation of grime, there were issues with hot food holding temperatures, a knife with a chipped blade and spatulas with pieces of rubber flaking off stored above the three-compartment sink and plastic food containers with broken plastic and holes were present, there was grime accumulation on the hose sprayer at the three-compartment, the gasket to the cake freezer had an accumulation of food debris, and there was a leak at the plumbing junction under the hand washing station in the kitchen.
The restaurant was reinspected on Jan. 3 and scored a 98% (A).
No business in Beaufort or Jasper counties was given a “C” grade in January.
What the grades mean
Inspectors hand out a grade of A, B or C, depending on the conditions found at the time. Points are docked for a variety of infractions, and restaurants have a chance to correct the problems and improve their score.
- A: 88% to 100%
- B: 78% to 87%
- C: 77% or less
During January, DHEC recorded 151 inspections of restaurants, schools, stores and other food establishments in Beaufort County. The agency publishes the results of these health inspections on its website.
Newer food grade decals include a QR code that customers can scan with their phones to see a food establishment’s latest report.
This story was originally published February 6, 2024 at 12:15 PM.
