Critical Violations at Two Falls Church Restaurants

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

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

A "critical violation" is one that "poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served." Non-critical violations are generally related to cleaning or maintenance.

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," according to the Virginia Department of Health's (VDH) website.

The site continues: "Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term cleanliness of an establishment."

In the past month, the following Falls Church restaurants have been inspected by the VDH. The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

German Gourmet

5838 Columbia Pike, Falls Church

Inspected May 3: no critical violations, one non-critical violation

Wet wiping cloths used for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces were observed stored on the counter.

Pizza Hut

6379 Seven Corner Center, Falls Church

Inspected May 3: two critical violations, four non-critical violations

When tested, the chlorine-based sanitizing solution was observed to be at a concentration less than what is required for effective sanitization of food-contact surfaces of equipment and utensils. Observed the sanitizing solution in the dish machine with a concentration of 0 ppm total chlorine. CFM set up sanitizing basin.

Sarita’s Restaurant

2794 Graham Rd., Falls Church

Inspected May 2: four critical violations, one non-critical violation

The following ready-to-eat food that is made using a combination of ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous ingredients is not properly dated for discard using the date of the first-prepared ingredient: flan, corn tamales and chicken tamales in Penn 1-door Walk-In cooler.