“When it comes time for inspection, we can only do so much.”

~ Anonymous Server

By Stacy Lipson  |  Send to Friend

When one makes the decision to go out to eat at a restaurant, it is generally understood that certain expectations will be met. A soothing atmosphere (or, alternately, a hyped-up one). An attentive server. A meal that you could not (or would not) attempt to do at home. A clean, vermin-controlled place in which to consume said meal. All of those expectations are significant, but, perhaps, the latter is the trickiest to gauge accurately. How often, you might wonder, is said restaurant being inspected for health code procedures? And are they doing the necessary follow-up to ensure the food you're eating isn't infested with lice, rat feces or evil-minded bacteria?

Perhaps an unsavory example is in order. We chose one cited restaurant, and spoke with current and former employees, as well as customers and experts in the food industry to share what’s really happening behind closed doors.

Pizza Rustica’s always been known for its pies. Customers rave about the soft, yet crispy crust of perfection.

“I’m a regular here,” says customer Alan Marshall, positioned just outside Rustica’s front door. Rustica is one of his favorite restaurants to eat lunch.
   
“Whenever anyone comes into Philly, I say, forget New York pizza, we have the best Philly pizza,” he says.

Ajay Segullen, of Northern Liberties, attends college at the Community College of Philadelphia. Segullen and his friends often dart into Rustica’s for a quick slice.
   
“I can bring my friends in there, after classes or whatever, and no one cares,” said Segullen. “I can always count on having a good time."

Wonderful, heart-warming stuff. Only, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health records, listed on their website, Rustica has been given six violations within the last year, ranging from failing to maintain proper temperatures in refrigeration to food not being protected from contamination.
   
One former server who worked at Rustica for a year, asked for anonymity, but explained what really went on in the kitchen.
   
“All of the employees really care about what they’re doing,” said the server. “But we didn’t have a lot of manpower." 

He went on to explain that a small restaurant like Rustica is cramped, with a limited number of employees. They are often busy, and the staff are continuously on their feet for long periods of time.

“When it comes time for inspection,” said the server, “we can only do so much."

Which raises another question: Are health inspectors fair to the restaurants they inspect?

Roslyn Stone, of Corporate Wellness, works for a company that handles employee, patron and community health issues for national restaurants. Stone explains the trends and problems that often happen when it comes time for restaurants to be inspected.
   
“Most restaurants receive some health code violations,” she says. “Sometimes, they make a mistake or the inspection occurs while a delivery is taking place, during a shift change or at a particularly busy time."

She goes on to say that it isn’t what restaurant patrons expect when the health inspection decides to stop by a restaurant. Often, even though employees and staff members are trained in handling food safety, different health inspectors have different procedures.

“The health inspection process is very subjective,’ says Stone. “While your regular health inspector may require procedures to be performed one way, another health inspector may require it a different way and issue a violation.”

World Cafe Live is another popular hangout that has been citied for food violations. In February, the Department of Health cited the nighttime hot spot for not wiping the tables correctly, as well as other health code violations.

Nationally, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) requires restaurants to be inspected once every year. One current World Café worker felt that restaurants should be inspected even further.

“I work two jobs, one at Starbucks and another one at the World Café,” says the worker. “And I think you’re letting them off too easy."

Too lenient or too harsh? The list of restaurants with food violations in the Philadelphia region will continuously be changing, and the opinions of its servers. Either way, restaurants should keep in mind that running a restaurant isn’t just about appearance. The behind-the-counter work is equally as important, and the safety and proper procedures for its patrons should be followed, no matter how busy or hectic it may get inside.


Other restaurants in Philadelphia with food violations:
        Il Portico-Four violations in 2008
        Amazon Café-Six violations in 2008.
        McFadden’s-One violation in 2008.






*All reports were compiled from the Department of Health.

 

 

 

Snacks: Sweet, savory tidbits of food news.

 

1. Space Greens

 

MARS--A preliminary analysis by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander indicates that Martian soil is choice for growing asparagus due to high levels of alkaline—sucks for those Martian plumbers of the future.

 

 

 

2. Beef Grief

 

SEOUL, South Korea—The first shipment of 1.5 tons of American ribs and various cuts arrived in South Korea after months of almost daily protests over President Lee Myung-bak's lifting of a ban on imported American beef.

 

 

 

3. Phil-HIP-pines

 

MANILA, Philippines—McDonalds will be donating used cooking oil to power the capital's patrol cars, which are being converted to run on a combination of 40% diesel and 60% used cooking oil.