Roaches and moldy food lower scores at 3 Knox eateries

By DON DARE
Food for Thought Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) - Cockroaches and other critters lowered the health inspection scores for three Knoxville area restaurants in the most recent set of checks.

Lowest Scores:

Little Szechuan at 8459 Kingston Pike - Grade: 58

The Knox County Health Department considers a score below 70 as unsanitary.

The inspector writes that the floor and walls in the walk-in cooler were dirty.

In the cooler, the inspector found chicken stored on the dirty floor. He also found moldy peppers and onions. They were ordered thrown out.

The inspector watched a kitchen worker talk on her cell phone, then start preparing food without washing her hands.

Another employee was drinking in the kitchen, but the cup didn't have a straw or a lid. They're required so liquid doesn't splash onto food.

The temperature of beef and chicken was too warm.

There were leaks at two kitchen sinks.

The ice machine was moldy.

Little Szechuan was reinspected. The new score is a 77.

Rays ESG at 7355 Kingston Pike - Grade: 66

The inspector found gnats flying around the kitchen and in the bar area.

The ice scoop was stored in standing water, which isn't sanitary.

Pork was in the cooler at 50 degrees. That's not cold enough to slow the growth of bacteria.

Rays was reinspected and the new score is a 79.

Passing But Problems:

Marcella's Restaurant at 2529 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue - Grade: 70

The most glaring violation was cockroaches found scurrying around the kitchen floor.

Also an employee didn't wash his hands before he went back to preparing food.

Highest Scores:

The cafe at the Ice Chalet, 100 Lebanon Street - 97

Krystal at 6725 Maynardville Highway - 95

Suttree's High Gravity Tavern at 409 S. Gay Street - 92

Lunchbox Cafe at 1225 E. Weisgarber Road - 90

Dunkin Donuts at 9411 S. Northshore Drive - 90

Panera Bread at 4893 N. Broadway Street - 89

Waffle House at 7102 Maynardville Highway - 89

Taco Bell at 4854 N. Broadway - 88