Rotting food earns Charlotte-area restaurant a ‘B’ grade: Sanitation scores (Sept. 13)

Evan Moore
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A Charlotte-area restaurant received a “B” grade from the Mecklenburg County Health Department for numerous health violations, including rotting food and dirty dishes.

▪ Red Bowl Asian Bistro, 3122 Fincher Farm Rd. in Matthews, received a score of 88.5% during its Sept. 10 inspection.

Violations the restaurant was cited for include:

  • Cut red bell peppers in prep unit starting to rot

  • Multiple cutting boards and hotel pans stored as clean while caked with food debris or sticker residue

  • Pre-cooked wontons and cut lettuce stored above required temperatures

  • Buckets of sauce stored on the floor

  • Many containers of customer food such as sauces, tofu and raw meats being stored in multiple units throughout the facility with no lid to protect the food from contamination

  • Single-use plastic containers being reused to store customer foods

  • Microwave in kitchen area and microwave in bar area soiled with food debris

  • Food debris on floors, walls and in sink drains during inspection

This is the restaurant’s first “B” grade.

Mecklenburg County sanitation scores

The Mecklenburg County sanitation grades database shows that 91 restaurant inspections were completed Sept. 7-13.

▪ Most restaurants received an A grade, or a score of at least 90%.

▪ Only one restaurant received a B grade, or a score of at least 80% but lower than 90%.

How to search NC restaurant inspection scores

Sanitation scores and their corresponding letter grades are used in North Carolina to assess restaurants’ adherence to rules and standards intended to mitigate and prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses.

You’ve likely seen sanitation grade cards at restaurants you’ve visited, and The News & Observer previously explained what those scores mean and how they’re calculated.

According to state law, permits are immediately revoked if a restaurant receives a score of less than 70%.

You can search all restaurant inspections in Mecklenburg County at public.cdpehs.com.

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