2 failed food safety inspections at restaurants and other businesses in the Tri-Cities area

The Benton Franklin Health District gave failing grades on two inspections of restaurants and other places that sell food and beverages during the week of March 4-10.

They included a popular Kennewick restaurant and a coffee shop in south Benton County.

In the 14 inspections conducted, the district’s food safety team awarded six perfect scores, including to restaurants and a school cafeteria.

The Tri-Cities-based health district has increased food inspections in recent months as fewer resources have been needed for the COVID-19 pandemic.

But then the Tri-Cities, Washington area has been hit in recent weeks with more norovirus cases than usual, even for the winter peak of the disease, which is sometimes called gastroenteritis.

There have been fewer routine food safety inspections as health district staff have focused instead on work to stop the spread of norovirus.

Several outbreaks have been reported in long-term care homes, and hundreds of staff hours have been used to investigate the sources of infection, review kitchen procedures, and assess infection control procedures.

In the district’s routine food safety inspections, businesses or organizations that receive 35 points for the most serious red violations are required to conduct additional inspections and must meet a more stringent inspection standard.

For follow-up inspections, they must have less than 25 red dots and a limited number of repeat issues to pass follow-up inspections.

Red violations are the ones most likely to cause foodborne illness, such as improper temperature control of food, failure to wash hands, or direct contact with food.

Blue violations are low-risk factors related to the cleanliness and physical condition of an establishment.

No notice is given prior to inspections.

Inspection results are posted online so residents can check the status and details of any individual restaurant violations.

Go to bit.ly/BFHDinspections. Click on the company name and then the inspection date on the right half of the next page. Look for the “Violations” tab.

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Call 509-460-4205 if you have questions or concerns.

failed inspection

farm coffee190704 Highway 221, Paterson, tracked March 9 (70 red, 0 blue)

Notes: Lack of active managerial control, inadequate handwashing, inadequate handwashing facilities, inadequate cold (>45°F) maintenance, improper use of chemicals, failure to follow approved procedures.

Outback Steakhouse6819 W. Canal Drive, Kennewick, routine March 6 (35 red, 0 blue)

Notes: Food worker cards are not 100% complete, inadequate chilling procedures, inadequate cold holding (42-45°F).

inspection passed

Bruchi’s5209 W. Okanogan Place, Kennewick, Routine March 10 (0 red, 0 blue)

Chinook High School4891 W. 27th Ave., Kennewick, Routine March 9 (10 red, 2 blue)

circle K (food service), 3957 Van Giesen St., West Richland, follow-up March 9 (0 red, 0 blue)

Coalcoman Restaurant528 S. Ely St., Kennewick, tracking March 9 (0 red, 7 blue)

dollar tree (Store), 7411 Canal Drive, Kennewick, routine March 6 (0 red, 0 blue)

Indaba Coffee8530 W. Gage Blvd., Kennewick, Routine March 8 (15 red, 0 blue)

Pasco Kona Ice (Mobile), Event, Routine March 4 (0 red, 0 blue)

lincoln elementary school4901 W. 21st Ave., Kennewick, Routine March 9 (0 red, 0 blue)

mcdonald’s1409 N. Kellogg St., Kennewick, Routine March 10 (0 red, 0 blue)

mcdonald’s, 1922 N. Steptoe St., Kennewick, Routine March 8 (5 red, 0 blue)

Pizza Hut1915 N. Steptoe St., Kennewick, March 8 routine (30 red, 0 blue)

the chicken shack4390 Van Giesen St., West Richland, follow-up March 9 (5 red, 5 blue)