By Sara Beth Williams—
A local eatery well-known for breakfast and lunch in Citrus Heights was recently hit with multiple health inspection violations, although the restaurant was not forced to close and passed a reinspection several days later.
Country Waffles at 6986 Sunrise Blvd. faced violations during a first inspection by Sacramento County officials on Oct. 2, with violations including employees not washing hands and not using soap, employees storing personal belongings in food storage areas, several foods not kept either below 41 degrees Fahrenheit or above 135 degrees Fahrenheit, which had to be disposed of, rodent droppings observed beneath the soda machine, and the use of a household microwave instead of a commercial-grade appliance.
The health inspection report also documented multiple surfaces had built-up food accumulation, including knives on a knife block with food residue and food buildup inside a walk-in refrigerator.
Most violations were corrected immediately through education and support from the health inspector, but several violations at Country Waffles also involved repairs in the kitchen area or replacing inadequate equipment. The Environmental Management Department requested repairs be completed in 5 days and allows up to 60 days for replacement of non-commercial-grade equipment, according to the official health inspection report.
A follow-up report indicates that the restaurant is under new ownership and was operating without a valid Environmental Management Department permit. The restaurant was given three days to apply for a new permit. A health inspector told The Sentinel that the county always attempts to “work with” restaurant owners and staff and emphasized that the restaurant has passed inspection and is open.
Country Waffles management declined to comment regarding recent inspections and referred questions from Sentinel staff to the owner, who was not available Thursday or Friday.
The county conducts an estimated 14,000 inspections annually, and 97 percent of all restaurants pass their inspections, Sacramento County Public Information Manager Ken Casparis told The Sacramento Bee, which conducts regular reports of restaurant inspections in a series called “Reality Check.” Only one percent of inspections result in a closure, according to Casparis. Restaurants that are forced to close often reopen within 72 hours after re-inspection.
A local eatery well-known for breakfast and lunch in Citrus Heights was recently hit with multiple health inspection violations, although the restaurant was not forced to close and passed a reinspection several days later...
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