Food handled with bare hands during inspection at popular Columbia eatery

Staff at a popular Columbia restaurant received a refresh on proper food handling and other critical issues during an inspection within the last week.

A staff member was observed handling ready-to-eat food without gloves July 31 during a routine inspection. This food was discarded as an inspector provided education on this issue and others.

Routine inspections happen two to three times per year based on priority and location of Columbia restaurants, Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services previously has said. Follow-up inspections happen if a critical violation is found. Restaurants usually can correct noncritical violations by the next routine inspection. Reports are from July 30 through Monday, unless otherwise noted.

Bacon and tomatoes that did not have time logs or date stamps were discarded after inspector education was provided. Food that still was in the restaurant past its date mark was discarded during the inspection. Potentially hazardous food — bacon at the bar and milk in the coffee bar reach-in cooler — tested above 41 degrees Fahrenheit and was discarded. Some food items can be held for a maximum of four hours outside of certain temperatures. After that they need to be discarded, hence use of time logs or date stamps.

While noted as noncritical, the coffee bar reach-in cooler was not maintaining the 41 degree temperature, so needed a service or adjustment by Wednesday. The follow-up inspection report was not yet available when this story was submitted for publication.

The dish washer cycle was not quite hitting 160 degrees or above for sanitization purposes. The restaurant had until Wednesday to correct. Other issues the establishment had until Wednesday to fix was either discarding or returning to a distributor dented cans in dry storage and providing a hand drying method at a hand sink. The restaurant can get covers for food items by its November routine inspection. There were several locations throughout the restaurant where food items were uncovered.

Reinspections generally correct issues

Tiger Chef, 907 Rain Forest Parkway, which had previously passed a reinspection following a deep clean due to a pest infestation, provided a Terminex invoice Aug. 1 via email to the inspector as a secondary follow-up. There is no further follow-up until the restaurant's next routine inspection.

A soiled oven, which could attract pests, still was not clean July 31 at Sub Shop, 2105 W. Worley St. This was a reinspection with a $110 fee as the restaurant had not addressed the issue after a July 15 routine inspection and follow-up inspection July 24. Sub Shop had until Wednesday to clean the oven.

Sports Zone, 2200 I-70 Drive SW, had cleaned its soiled ice machine and its dishwasher was dispensing the correct concentration of sanitizer during its July 30 follow-up inspection.

A soiled ice machine, soiled floors under shelves in the walk-in cooler and soiled ceiling duct vents found July 26 were all cleaned at Jazz Louisiana Kitchen, 217 N. Stadium Blvd. by July 31.

Café Berlin's dishwasher, 220 N. 10th St., was dispensing the correct concentration of sanitizer July 31 following the July 18 routine inspection. Soiled soda nozzles also were cleaned and sanitized.

A soiled ice machine and soiled soda nozzles also was an issue at Cheddar's Casual Cafe, 1010 I-70 Drive SW, on July 26. They were found clean during the July 31 follow-up inspection.

Staff at G&D Family Steakhouse, 2001 W. Worley St., had a clean ice machine Monday, after it was found soiled July 31. Staff already had corrected a repeat violation of storing hamburger meat above steaks during the previous routine inspection. They just needed to swap locations in a cooler. Staff have until November to clean dust buildup on ceilings and around ceiling vents.

Routine inspections

Most of the critical issues at Tropical Liqueurs, 515 E. Broadway, were corrected by Tuesday after the frozen cocktail bar had its routine inspection Aug. 1. This included a soiled ice machine, and a lack of an air gap between the water sprayer and the drain pipe at the three-compartment dish sink, which is needed to prevent sewage back up. Other issues addressed during the Aug. 1 inspection included moving the water sprayer from its position laying below the flood level rim of the sinks and an adding a label to an unlabeled chemical spray bottle. Other noncritical issues the bar can fix by its February routine inspection. This includes ensuring all employees have food handler cards (the inspector had received four in an email), a covered trash can in the employee restroom for disposal of feminine hygiene products and shielding a light bulb in the dish washing area. The inspector also had a discussion with management about food safety training requirements and provided a flyer via email with approved courses.

Pancheros Mexican Grill, 1101 Grindstone Parkway Suite 101, had to fix the concentration of an ammonia-based sanitizer July 30, which was corrected during the inspection. A discussion also was held with management about getting all employees up-to-date food handler cards by the next routine inspection.

Some food kept past its date mark at Bud's Classic BBQ, 304 S. Ninth St., was discarded July 30. The restaurant also had until Monday to clean its soiled ice machine, but a follow-up report was not yet available when this story was submitted for publication. While noted as noncritical, the restaurant also needs to service or adjust a food preparation cooler that was out of temperature. Meatballs in it tested at 43 degrees. Food in coolers needs to maintain temperatures of 41 degrees or below.

Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, 203 S. Providence Road, had a soiled ice machine, soiled soda machine nozzles and a hand wash sink was blocked by the storage of ice scoops and buckets on July 30. They had until Aug. 1 to correct, but a report was unavailable. A noncritical issue is scoops stored in food containers had handles that were touching the food. The restaurant can instead store scoops handles up by November.

Insomnia Cookies, 308 S. Ninth St. Suite 113, was closed when an inspection was attempted July 31.

Bubble House, 2300 Bernadette Drive Suite 714, in the Columbia Mall had a soiled ice machine Aug. 1, but this was cleaned by Tuesday's follow-up inspection. An ammonia-based sanitizer in a bucket wasn't at the correct concentration, which was corrected during the Aug. 1 inspection. Like at Raising Canes, there were scoops with the handles touching food. They were adjusted so the handles were above the food at the time of the inspection.

There wasn't way to dry a person's hands at a hand wash sink Aug. 2 at Pickleman's Gourmet Café, 3103 W. Broadway. This was corrected during the inspection.

11Eleven restaurant inside the Broadway Hotel at 1111 E. Broadway had dented cans in its dry storage area Aug. 2. They were discarded during the inspection. Food kept past its date mark also was discarded. An employee was observed consuming a drink in a food preparation area, a noncritical violation. Education was provided. The restaurant has until December to get an internal thermometer for a reach-in cooler. A discussion was held with management on using time as a temperature control and that food must be stored at least six inches off of the floor.

A dented can on a kitchen storage rack Monday at Fuzzy's Tacos, 205 E. Nifong Blvd. Suite 200, was moved to a distributor returns location location during the inspection. Remaining issues were noncritical. This included an accumulation of soiling on top of a water heater in the kitchen. This can be cleaned by November. Discussion was held with management about having a shielded lightbulb in the walk-in cooler, which was added. The restaurant also had fixed its warped walk-in cooler floor found at a prior routine inspection.

Some restaurants only had noncritical issues during their routine inspections.

Just Jeff's, 701 Business Loop 70 W, on July 30 had missing coving intended to protect floor and wall junctures. It can be replaced by November.

Mya's Gourmet Popcorn, 2300 Bernadette Drive Suite 606, in the Columbia Mall needs to get a trash can with a lid in the women's restroom for disposal of feminine hygiene products by February after it had an inspection Aug. 1.

Freddy's Frozen Custard, 3922 S. Providence Road, had some food products stored under a hand sink Monday. Food cannot be stored near water lines. A drink machine drain also was soiled. This nonfood-contact surface needs more regular cleaning. These issues can be fixed by November. A discussion also was held with management about adjusting the temperature on two coolers that were at the edge of the acceptable temperature range of 41 degrees or below.

The Starbuck's Coffee at 900 Vandiver Drive needs to have a food manager's certificate available for presentation by November. A bathroom door also is not self-closing, and that also can be fixed by November, along with a missing ceiling tile in the kitchen. One issue noted as noncritical that was fixed during Monday's inspection was the concentration of an ammonia-based sanitizer in a sanitizer bucket.

No violations

A few Columbia chain eateries did not have any violations during their routine inspections Monday. These were:

• Five Guys Burgers and Fries, 233 N. Stadium Blvd.;

• The Starbuck's Coffee kiosk inside Target, 2400 Bernadette Drive; and

• Wendy's 2116 Bernadette Drive. While there were no violations, a discussion was held with management on ice machine cleaning procedures.

Previously: Columbia restaurant deep cleans after inspection finds dead mouse, droppings, ants

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on X, formerly Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Ozark Mountain Biscuit and Bar staff receive food handling refresher