A Duluth restaurant was hit an unsatisfactory grade on Tuesday after the inspections conducted by the Gwinnett, Newton & Rockdale County Health Departments. The Party Korea was inspected on the morning of February 18 and was only able to score 48 points at the end of the inspection. The inspection report cited various violations of the food code that have resulted in poor grade for the catering establishment.
Highlights
- A catering and lunch service facility in Duluth failed the health inspection on February 18.
- Several cases of repeat violations were observed at the establishment, contributing to it receiving only 48 points in the inspection.
- The establishment will now face a follow-up inspection in 10 days – if the issues are not resolved, it may result in permit suspension.
The Party Korea at Duluth Stumbles in Latest Health Inspection
Inspectors noted that The Party Korea, located at 3370 Venture Pkwy NW, violated 14 food code provisions. Among these violations, there were also instances of repeat violations of the same food code.
Repeated Violation of Food Code at The Party Korea
Inspectors reported a second consecutive violation in the case that the Person in Charge (PIC) was not able to demonstrate in a verifiable manner that the employees had been informed of their responsibilities to report symptoms or illnesses.
Another case of repeat violations was the lack of paper towels at all of the handwashing sinks at the establishment.
Improper labeling of food items, as multiple food containers did not have proper labels with the common name, was yet another repeat violation.
If a third consecutive violation of the same food codes is observed at the establishment during the next inspection, it will result in permit suspension.
Other Violations
The report begins by holding the person in charge responsible for the non-compliance with the food code at the establishment. It stated that the person “did not show managerial control over facility.”
Inspectors also observed raw beef and raw pork that were out of package were being stored over seafood in both the walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer. Food items like Cabbage Kimchi, bone broth soup, bean soup, cooked beef, and cooked pork prepared more than twenty-four hours ago were stored without date marking. Observed corn, bone broth, beef, and produce that were stored on the floor inside.
They also saw two trays of cooked pig’s feet, two 5-gallon buckets of bone broth, and one 5-gallon bucket of vegetable broth that were being stored at higher than the required temperature in the walk-in cooler. There was also bean soup that was stored in the reach-in cooler in the front lobby at higher than-required temperatures.
The report stated that the ice machine had a black mold-like substance in its upper compartment. It was seen that soy sauce buckets and kimchi containers were being reused for other food storage. There were multiple boxes of single-use items (containers, lids, cups) that were stored on the floor of the storage room as well.
Inspectors also saw Raid Pesticide in the front kitchen. The facility did not have a thermometer on-site for food testing. The most recent health inspection report was not on display.
Several Issues Resolved, Others Yet to Be Corrected
Among the issues that were observed at the establishment’s kitchen, most were solved on-site, as per the directions of the inspectors. The towels provided were replaced in the handwashing sinks. The walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer were rearranged in such a way all the food items were stored and time-marked properly.
In the case of the other improperly stored foods, they were discarded. Cans of Raid pesticide were discarded as well. The most recent inspection report was displayed for public view. The boxes of single-use items were relocated.
The other issues that are yet to be addressed are to be resolved by February 28. The person in charge’s lack of control over the establishment and the employees’ lack of awareness of their responsibility for preventing the transmission of foodborne diseases are among these issues. The issues concerning the ice machine and the thermometer also need to be solved before the follow-up inspection.
Follow-Up Inspection Scheduled
The Party Korea will undergo a follow-up inspection within 10 days, as per the official report. It will also undergo an additional required inspection within 12 months.
The report also advised that they ensure that the back door threshold is sealed. It also mentioned that all employee food should be stored below customer food and in a designated area in the walk-in cooler and kitchen. It also noted that MSG is used as an additive in the food prepared.
Out of the 33 establishments that come under the Food 2023 code inspected on Tuesday, 8 emerged successful in scoring a perfect 100. Scoring between 90 plus points were 14 establishments, 9 got 80 plus points, and one got 70 plus points.
