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 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.

Peking Gourmet Inn

6029 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church

Inspected April 12: no critical violations, four non-critical violations

The cutting boards used to cut chicken are heavily scratched and scored. The food contact surface is no longer easily cleaned and sanitized due to condition.

KFC

5711 Columbia Pike, Falls Church

Inspected April 11: one critical violation, two non-critical violations

Observed food employee sneezed on their hands and only rinsed with water.

Hokkaido Seafood Buffet

5900 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church

Inspected April 10: six critical violations, six non-critical violations

Raw animal food holding in a manner that may cause cross contamination of ready-to-eat food as follows: Walk-in cooler: Raw fish above rice, raw chicken above lemons, raw beef, fish and chicken above vegetables.