Health violations close six restaurants in 2001

Problems: Room-temperature storage of potentially hazardous foods (such as eggs) or those known to easily cause illness; improper hot holding of potentially hazardous foods; failure to monitor the temperature of food.

Wang’s was subsequently sold and reopened under a new name and management, Miklich said, and this restaurant, too, has gone out of business.

Lack of potable water supply at commissary, the place to clean pots and pans used at the business.

Response from owner Giovanni Erme: "I believe there was a misunderstanding in the paperwork. It was mainly a technical problem. It was taken care of right away" with an alternate commissary site.

Lack of potable water supply at a business that holds a limited grocery store permit.

Response from owner Steve Kirstein: A dispute with the city led to the water being shut off at his gas station, which also sells milk and other food. The business is in the process of being sold.

Operating without a valid restaurant permit; no accessible sink strictly for handwashing in the cook line, and the handwashing sink in the dishwashing area was not properly stocked with soap and towels.

A check back in August found problems with holding chilled food at proper temperatures and storage of raw food over ready-to-eat food. A check in December found food temperatures generally were good but gravies and sauces in steam containers were not hot enough.

Response from general manager Tosawi Saddler: Problem was caused because the hand sink was in the wrong spot. "It was by their determination it was inaccessible. They made us move it."

Regarding problems on follow-up checks: "All those have been resolved. We changed out… a preparation table. It was faulty."

Sale of potentially hazardous food without a means for keeping it heated at proper temperatures and sale of food without a valid permit.

Response from owner Don Jackson: The restaurant no longer sells at the ferry dock.

Bare hand contact (meaning lack gloves or use of tongs) with ready-to-eat food; improper cooling of potentially hazardous food; storing potentially hazardous food at room temperature; no hot water at restroom handwash sink.

Response from Sophia U, daughter of owner: Problems were a communication problem because of her father’s limited English skills.

The health agency has 12 inspectors who conduct routine checks on 2,500 restaurants, delis, coffee stands, business and school cafeterias and other places where food is sold.

All inspections are unannounced. The frequency depends on the complexity of the menu, Miklich said, since the more food is handled, such as cooled or heated, the higher the risk for food-borne illness.

Restaurants typically are inspected one to three times a year. Inspectors return more frequently to those with problems, he said.

The restaurant inspections are part of an effort to prevent outbreaks of foodborne illnesses such as E. coli, botulism or salmonella.

Most license suspensions in 2001 were based on repeated critical violations, Miklich said. "If those same violations occur again, that’s one ground for suspension."

Eleven other restaurants were closed because they had not submitted the necessary paperwork proving that a required annual septic system inspection had been conducted.

All 11 subsequently turned in the required inspection reports, Miklich said.

For information on seeing or copying restaurant inspection reports, call the Snohomish Health District at 425-339-5250.

You can call Herald Writer Sharon Salyer at 425-339-3486

or send e-mail to salyer@heraldnet.com.