South Durham Restaurant Inspection Scores for October 2024

On occasion, Southpoint Access will gather information from Durham County’s Public Health Department to get a snapshot of how facilities in this region are scoring on their inspections. In this report, we delve into recent reports on restaurants in the 27713 zipcode. These reports were filed between Aug. 1 and Oct. 11, 2024.

TL;DR Version: Top score (100) went to AMC Southpoint 17. Lowest score (91) went to California Pizza Kitchen.

92 Chicken. 2107 Allendown Dr., Ste. 101A. Inspection: Sept. 9. Score: 97.5. Notes: Labels needed on two spray bottles. Two food employees lacked hair restraints. Recaulking needed on vent hood.

AMC Southpoint 17. 8030 Renaissance Pkwy. Inspection: Aug. 7. Score: 100. Notes: Missing soap in handwashing sink at the back.

Bojangle’s. 176 Stratford Lakes Dr. Inspection: Oct. 7. Score: 98.5. Notes: Chicken breast and chicken tenders above 43 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bojangle’s. 4831 NC Hwy 55. Inspection: Sept. 20. Score: 99.5. Notes: No label on Bo Flour under the biscuit station. Single-use half-gallon tea containers stored on floor in walk-in freezer.

Café Meridian. 4731 NC Hwy 55. Inspection: Oct. 8. Score: 98.5. Notes: Pan of salmon holding at 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the hot box. Chicken breast in hot holding area of main line at 128 degrees Fahrenheit. Wet wiping cloth stored on counter between uses.

California Pizza Kitchen. 6910 Fayetteville Rd. Inspection: Sept. 5. Score: 91. Notes: Employee returned from another task, didn’t wash hands, and prepared rice and chicken. Employee took measuring cup from cooked rice and chicken with bare hands. Handwashing sink blocked by trash can at back of prep area. Spoiled steak stored in reach-in near the pizza section. Dishes and bottles with food residue stored in area for clean ones. Butter and Velveeta cheese in reach-in and pasta in drawer in the cook line had temperatures above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Expired ranch dressing in the walk-in. Glass cleaner at servers’ area lacked label.

Chick-fil-a. 104 Residence Inn Blvd. Inspection: Sept. 18. Score: 99.5. Notes: Some buildup along inside top and sides of ice machine.

Co Sushi. 8030 Renaissance Pkwy. Inspection: Aug. 1. Score: 96.5. Notes: Person in charge had expired certification. No written employee health policy. No procedure for vomiting or diarrheal incident. Employee food and drink on shelf above fish prep sink. Employees eating in the dishwasher area. Paper towel rolls missing from handwashing sinks. Unsalted butter and kimchi in make line, as well as shrimp, lettuce, cooked noodles, napa, and cooked chicken in the make line held above 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

Crab Sea. 4831 NC Hwy 55. Inspection: Sept. 19. Score: 95. Notes: Employee drinks scattered throughout. Container of cooked chicken wings uncovered in the three-door cooler. Three containers of chicken and shrimp cooling with tight coverings. Wet containers stacked next to three-compartment sink.

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Southpoint. 7807 Leonardo Dr. Inspection: Oct. 1. Score: 98.5. Notes: No hot water for handwashing sink. No labels on glass and multi-purpose cleaners.

Hilton Garden Inn Café. 7007 Fayetteville Rd. Inspection: Oct. 1. Score: 92.5. Notes: Kitchen cart blocked handwashing sink in dishwashing area. Dishes stored as clean, but had food, crumbs, and other debris on them. Meat loaf in walk-in cooler had cook date of Sept. 16, and pulled pork had date of Sept. 12.

India Gate Restaurant. 105 NC Hwy 54, Unit 247. Inspection: Aug. 21. Score: 99.5. Notes: Pan exteriors need cleaning because of label residue.

Jimmy Johns. 1125 NC Hwy 54. Inspection: Sept. 9. Score: 98.5. Notes: No certified food manager on site during inspection. Slicer had dried lettuce stuck to it.

McDonald’s. 204 NC Hwy 54. Inspection: Aug. 9. Score: 98.5. Notes: Dishes stacked wet at clean dish rack. Cleaning needed in low reach-in freezer behind the make line.

Mediterrasian Bistro. 105 NC Hwy 54, Unit 225. Inspection: Sept. 4. Score: 97. Notes: Cut French fries at ice bath and gyro in make line with temperature above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease accumulation on hood dripping over stove. Reach-in at cook line was broken.

Moe’s Southwest Grill. 6807 Fayetteville Rd. Inspection: Sept. 27. Score: 94.5. Notes: Water temperature in handwashing sink in restroom only reached 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Shredded cheese, pico, and sour cream holding above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. WD-40 lubricant stored above bags of rice.

New Tokyo. 3822 S. Roxboro St. Inspection: Sept. 17. Score: 99. Notes: Employee food stored above food for sale in the tall reach-in cooler. Leak under the three-compartment sink. Torn gaskets in reach-in cooler.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro. 6801 Fayetteville Rd. Inspection: Aug. 7. Score: 97. Notes: Fried rice and white rice under heat lamp at 127-130 degrees Fahrenheit. Container of shrimp dumpling mix tightly sealed in walk-in cooler.

Pei Wei Express. 6910 Fayetteville Rd., Space 230. Inspection: Oct. 10. Score: 92. Notes: Employee beverage stored on top shelf with cooked products in the low reach-in. Commercial can opener blade needed cleaning. Undated containers of tomatoes and chicken.

Pizza Hut. 2107 NC Hwy 54. Inspection: Aug. 19. Score: 92. Notes: Person in charge couldn’t name any symptoms that would trigger excluding employees from work or any of the six food-borne illnesses. No employee health policy. Three metal pans with food debris inside. Diced tomato in pizza flip-top and salad bar held above 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

Popeye’s. 4848 NC Hwy 55. Inspection: Sept. 26. Score: 96.5. Notes: Trash can blocking handwashing sink in the fryer area. Two metal pans and knife with food debris and greasy residue stored as clean. Chicken on the left-hand side breading line and items in walk-in cooler were above 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sabor. 105 NC Hwy 54, Ste. 201. Inspection: Sept. 4. Score: 97.5. Notes: Chicken in hot holding below 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Sanitizer in bucket read 0ppm.

Sarah’s Empanadas. 5410 NC Hwy 55, Ste. 0. Inspection: Sept. 18. Score: 98. Notes: Handwashing sink contained food debris. Empanada holding hot box was turned off due to lack of guests at time of inspection. Empanadas stored directly on shelf of standing freezers, uncovered and unwrapped without protection from contamination.

Sprout’s Deli. 105 W. NC Hwy 54, Ste. 2378. Inspection: Aug. 22. Score: 96. Notes: No paper towels at handwashing sink near bakery section. Slice of American cheese, provolone, and turkey in plastic bags above containers in the sandwich line and grab-and-go entrée meals with holding temperatures above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Expired Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, Havarti cheese, turkey, ham, and cheddar cheese in displays.

Starbucks. 4834 NC Hwy 55. Inspection: Aug. 15. Score: 98. Notes: Gasket in low-boy cooler needed adjustment. No manual temperature measuring device for hot-water sanitizing dish machine.

Starbucks. 6813 Fayetteville Rd. Inspection: Sept. 27. Score: 99.5. Notes: Hot water in front handwashing sink only reached 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot and cold handles reversed.

Subway. 4830 NC Hwy 55. Inspection: Aug. 23. Score: 96. Notes: Person in charge couldn’t produce an employee health policy. Also only able to list two of the six food-borne illnesses. No vomit or diarrhea cleanup procedure documentation. Cleaning needed of black buildup on ice machine deflector corners. Excessive concentrations in sanitizer bucket.

Taco Bell. 2101 NC Hwy 54. Inspection: Sept. 10. Score: 98. Notes: Chicken strips, egg mix, and Cinnabons on floor in the walk-in freezer. Still wet plastic containers stacked tightly. Buildup on gaskets of the two-door reach-in freezer.

Thai Star. 5410 NC Hwy 55. Inspection: Oct. 1. Score: 96.5. Notes: No hot water in front handwashing sink. Debris on can opener. Noodles stored on the counter at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Multiple items in walk-in above 41 degrees Fahrenheit because door was left open. Live insect at back prep sink.

Waffle House. 112 NC Hwy 54. Inspection: Aug. 15. Score: 95. Notes: Employee beverages on server speed rack near food and food equipment. Several cold-holding units contained unpackaged ready-to-eat foods mingled and in direct with packages of food. Inaccurate ambient thermometer in reach-in cooler. Wet wiping cloths stored on counters and in soapy water container rather than sanitizing solution.

Zenfish. 105 W. NC Hwy 54, Ste. 261. Inspection: Aug. 27. Score: 96.5. Notes: Corn, kimchi, pickled onions, and pasta in the make line held above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Ambient air in reach-in cooler was 44 degrees Fahrenheit.

What Does the Data Tell Us?

• Temperature Violations: A significant number of restaurants were cited for improper food temperatures, either for cold-holding items above 41°F or hot-holding items below 135°F. This was observed at places like Bojangle’s, Café Meridian, and Zenfish, which can lead to food safety risks if not corrected.
• Labeling and Cleaning: Several restaurants, such as 92 Chicken, Pizza Hut, and Hilton Garden Inn Café, were flagged for missing labels on cleaning products, which is a safety issue. Additionally, cleanliness (especially of food prep areas and dishes) was a common concern at multiple establishments, like California Pizza Kitchen and Co Sushi.
• Handwashing and Employee Practices: Many establishments, such as California Pizza Kitchen and Pei Wei Express, had issues related to employee hygiene practices, like failing to wash hands or storing personal items near food preparation areas.
• Overall Score Range: Scores ranged from 91 to 100, indicating a broad spectrum of food safety and health practices. While most restaurants performed well, issues such as improper food storage, cleanliness, and handwashing were common.

In summary, while most restaurants in the area scored well (mid-90s or higher), a few establishments need to address critical food safety and sanitation concerns to improve their scores.