A ‘C’ Rating — the Worst — for One Darien Food-Serving Establishment in Latest Health Inspections

One Darien food-serving establishment received a “C” rating in the six health-inspection reports released Thursday by Darien Health Department. 

The inspections all took place from Jan. 4 to 7. Two establishments received “A” ratings and three others each got a “B.”

Here’s an alphabetical list of the most recently released health inspection results (an explanation for each part of the list, including links, is just below the list).

Keep in mind that a food-serving establishment with a history of good ratings may occasionally get a poor inspection rating, occasionally the best do, and every restaurant normally gets a few things wrong (an explanation of how this list is put together is immediately below it):

• CORRECTION: In a Nov. 9 article about health inspections, Darienite incorrectly reported a “C” rating for Bodega Taco Bar. In fact, that Oct. 29 rating was “A.”

—Embody Fitness Gourmet — 380 Heights Road — Jan. 8— Town Rating: B — State Score: 92

—Genji at Whole Foods Market — 150 Ledge Road — Jan. 7 — Town Rating: A — State Score: 95

—Green & Tonic — 1098 Post Road — Jan. 10 — Town Rating: C — State Score: 83 — Inspector’s Comments: “No labels in dry storage; food thermometer not available; some handles stored in bulk food; both reach-in freezers in poor repair. Two crates used as shelving in walk-in [freezer]; not a three-bay system; inside refrigeration and reach-in freezer are unclean and blenders stored unclean (interior and exterior); no hot water at hand sink (start of inspection); sink leaking on floor/pump with suds, under warewash sink and water running in restroom; not a self-closing door; no covered waste in only restroom; ceiling tile missing; mop not hung to dry; no documentation of training for both employees.” — Inspector’s Remarks: “Who is the on-site QFO [Qualified Food Operator]? Left a sheet of manager courses offered per FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] food code.”

—Scena Wine Bar and Restaurant — 1077 Post Road — Jan. 7 — Town Rating: B — State Score: 92

—Stop & Shop — 148 Heights Road — Jan. 7 — Town Rating: B — State Score: 90

—Whole Foods Market — 150 Ledge Road — Jan. 4 — Town Rating: A — State Score: 95

Dates link to the food establishment’s inspection report referenced here (when available, sometimes it takes a while to get posted online), and Darien’s own A/B/C ratings link to a Web page showing several of the restaurant’s recent inspection ratings.

For restaurants and other food-serving establishments rated “C,” and for some others of interest to the public (like schools) additional information is given. When we provide that information here, then words within brackets (“[ ]”) have been added for clarity by Darienite.com; semicolons (“;”) separate individual comments by the inspectors. Each comment separated by semicolons is about a particular violation that triggers a deduction of one or more points from a perfect state score of 100.

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See also:

• Our previous article showing restaurant inspection ratings (Jan. 3)
  
• STAMFORD online health inspection results
• NORWALK online health inspection ratings (explanation of ratings)

You can find the past several inspection ratings under the Darien ratings system for food-serving establishments along with copies of inspection reports, including state health code scores on this website.

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How Darien’s Food-Serving Places Are Rated

Restaurants in town are rated under the Darien Health Department’s own A/B/C ratings system. Health inspectors also use the state health code regulations to score restaurants, with a perfect score set at 100, and demerits (of 1 to 4 points each) for various code violations.

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The Darien system takes into account problems that are ongoing, so a restaurant scoring higher than others on the state scale may actually get a lower score on the Darien scale.

 

Any establishment actually deemed unsafe can be closed by the town Health Department until violations are fixed. Town Health Director David Knauf says that has never happened in the time he’s been with the department.