Four Critical Violations for El Pike Restaurant

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.

El Pike Restaurant

6138-B Arlington Blvd., Falls Church

Inspected Dec. 21: four critical violations, seven non-critical violations

“Unwrapped or uncovered food in the following location where the food is subject to contamination: observed open containers of flour, sugar, salt, in dry storage area.”

Hai Ky My Gia

6757 Wilson Blvd, #24, Falls Church

Inspected Dec. 20: one critical violation

“Spicy soup in large deep plastic container in True 2 door upright cooler cooling overnight at 48-degrees F.”

Asian Recipes Restaurant

7810-A Lee Hwy., Falls Church

Inspected Dec. 21: three critical violations, five non-critical violations

“Different types of raw animal foods stored in such a manner that may cause cross contamination as follows: containers of raw chicken over raw shrimp in walk-in cooler.”