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The following are recent Luzerne County restaurant inspection reports from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. According to the agency: “Any inspection is a ‘snapshot’ of the day and time of the inspection. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the over all, long-term cleanliness of an establishment. Also, at the time of the inspection, violations are recorded but are often corrected on site prior to the inspector leaving the establishment.”
The information is taken from the inspection database at www.eatsafepa.com. Postal addresses used here are as listed on the state’s website and may not correspond to the municipalities in which facilities are physically located.
Convenient Food Mart, 610 Main St., Avoca: Follow-up inspection, in compliance.
The Meating Wagon, 25 N. Prospect Park Drive, Sugarloaf: Opening inspection, in compliance.
Get Your Cake Up, 557 Main St., Edwardsville: Complaint inspection, in compliance. Violations: The facility has an employee that has taken a Food Safety Course and obtained a Certificate of Achievement and not a Food Manager Certificate. The owner has 90 days to have an employee obtain a Certified Food Manager Certificate that is good for a five-year period of time. Upon the employee’s receipt of the certificate, the owner will include the name of the facility and text a picture of the certificate to this inspector or mail a copy with the facility’s name to the attention of this inspector to the Region 3 Field office.
J Zapata, 1130 SR 93, Drums: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Observed a food prep employee use a single-use plastic bowl to dispense cooked rice from hot hold unit instead of using a handled utensil. The cup was discarded and a handled spoon was placed for use to dispense rice. Two plastic measuring cups observed in the hand wash sink indicating uses other than hand washing. The cups were removed and placed in the three-bay sink for washing and sanitizing. Food facility lost its certified food employee over three months ago and has not replaced the certified food employee as required. The Person in Charge stated that he has been here at the facility for eight months and the person that is listed as having the Food Manager Certification has not worked here since he arrived. The facility has 90 days to have an employee who works at the facility obtain a valid Food Manager Certification that is good for a five-year period of time. The owner will send a copy of the certificate (with the name of the facility) to this inspector via text or mail a copy of the certificate to the Region 3 Field office to the attention of this inspector. Address and phone numbers provided to the Person in Charge.
Skateaway Snack Bar, 610 Blackman St., Wilkes-Barre: Follow-up inspection, in compliance.
Subway, 390 Highway 315, Pittston: Follow-up inspection, in compliance. Violations: The water temperature of the wash compartment of the manual ware washing equipment was 103°F, rather than not less than 110°F as required. Water, as observed at handwash sinks, is not under pressure during inspection. The handwash sinks located in the front area does not have water at a temperature of at least 100°F. Water temperature observed to be 81°F. PIC directed to use sink in back prep area for hand washing until sinks are repaired.
Weasels’ Picks and Packs, 320 Middleburg Rd., White Haven: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Food facility hot water heater is not producing enough hot water to supply all sinks at the time of this inspection.
Frederick Stegmaier Mansion, 304 S. Franklin St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance.
Omnia Grill/Ali Baba, 219 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance.
Ross Dress for Less, 3330 Wilkes-Barre Township Commons, Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance.
Chartwells, 133 N. River St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance.
D-Nice Ice, 53 Cedar St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance.
Dan Flood Elementary, 565 N. Washington St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance.
GAR, 250 S. Grant St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Leaky faucet in first floor girls bathroom. There was no thermometer in kitchen refrigerator. Boys and girls bathrooms on second floor near cafeteria have an accumulation of paper towels and toilet paper on floor and in stalls.
KBC Inc., 142 Darling St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance.
Malacari Ice Cream & Grill, 80 Wilkes-Barre Twp. Blvd., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Facility not using a wash bucket with sanitizer to clean food prep tables after use.
Oregon Inn, 67 Oregon St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Carpet used in storage area is not closely woven and easily cleanable.
PA Theater for the Performing Arts, 212 W. Broad St., Hazleton: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: chlorine chemical sanitizer residual detected in the final sanitizer rinse cycle of the low temperature sanitizing dishwasher was <10 ppm and not 50-100 ppm as required. The facility connected another bottle of sanitizer but it appears that the machine is not dispensing sanitizer. The facility is to call Eco-lab to have the dish machine serviced and notify this inspector so a follow up inspection can be conducted. The facility has agreed not to use the dish washer for ware washing and will use the three-bay sink until repairs are made and the residual sanitizer in the dish machine is 50-100 ppm.
Subway, 35 E. Broad St., Hazleton: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: An open employee’s beverage container was observed in prep area, a food preparation area. Food employee observed in prep area not wearing a beard cover.
Amber Palace, 228 George Ave., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Walk in freezer has an accumulation of debris and food particles on floor and is in need of cleaning.
Kmart, Mark Plaza, Edwardsville: Change of Owner inspection, in compliance. Violations: The exit door located in the receiving area of the food facility has a gap with visible light at the floor door junction and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents and other animals. There are three old dried rodent droppings on a lower metal shelf in the shipping 605 room and seven dried rodent droppings in the corner of the floor in that same room. The facility has Orkin pest control coming into the facility as they have has some issues recently with mice in the pet food area. There are glue boards and metal bait boxes throughout the facility. Review of the pest control documentation dated 4/1/19 revealed that there were two mice caught in the main stock room and one in the garden shop interior. The floor under the shelving racks in the pet food area of the food facility is extremely dirty, dusty with food debris and in need of cleaning.
Deemer’s Discount Groceries, 395 Coal St., Wilkes-Barre: Opening inspection, in compliance.
McDonald’s, 1950 Memorial Hwy., Shavertown: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Dried food residue observed on the interior base of the reach-in freezer.
Patte’s Sports Bar, 65 W. Hollenback St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance.
Diamond City Dairy, 88-90 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Bottom shelf of Turbo Air Freezer has an accumulation of dried food stains stuck to it.
Hunlock Creek Tavern, 7 Old Tavern Rd., Hunlock Creek: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Food facility has an employee who held a Certified Food Manager certificate; however, the certificate has expired and is no longer valid. The owner has 90 days to have an employee obtain a current/valid Food Manager Certification. Upon receipt of the certificate, the owner will email/text a copy of the certificate to this inspector or mail a copy to the Region 3 Field office and include the name of the facility with the certificate. The owner stated that she is registered to take the course on 4/24/19.
Pittston Area Intermediate Center, 120 New St., Pittston: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Observed a build up of residue and debris in multiple floor drains.
Pittston Beer and Deli Inc./Chester’s Chicken, 325 Laurel Rd., Pittston: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Observed a build up of old food residue on the deli slicer. Slicer was cleaned. The food facility does not have the original certificate for the certified food employee posted in public view. Observed single-service, single-use articles stored in counter area directly on the floor and not 6 inches above the floor. Observed chest cooler with an ambient temperature of 48°F and not 41°F or less as required. Unit will be serviced prior to storage of TCS foods. Observed deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Food employees observed in prep area not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets or hats. Multiple foods (cole slaw, egg salad, pizza) held between 40-53°F in the chest cooler area, rather than 41°F or below as required. Foods were discarded.
Smith’s Country Store, 5633 SR 309, Monroe Twp.: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Loose rubber door gaskets observed on the reach-in dairy cooler. Prepackaged beef sticks and sausage are not labeled properly with the ingredient statement. Working containers in ware wash area, used for storing chemicals/cleaners taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical. Food employees observed in food prep area not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets or hats.
Teasers/Game Times Sports Bar and Grill, 205 Mundy St., Wilkes-Barre: Follow-up inspection, in compliance.
Umami Gorilla, 811 Scott St., Wilkes-Barre: Regular inspection, in compliance. Violations: Drain pipe under sink in prep area is leaking. Food facility has no sanitizer available for sanitizing equipment and utensils. Thermometers for ensuring proper temperatures of food are not available or readily accessible in the refrigeration units.