Restaurant Inspections: Evidence of Pests in Two Arlington Establishments

These Arlington restaurants were recently paid visits by the the Virginia Department of Health. Restaurants are paid periodic visits.

See Clarendon Patch for restaurants in the Clarendon, Courthouse and Rosslyn neighborhoods.

The full reports can be accessed on the state Health Department's website:

Cantina Mexicana
515 S. 23rd St.
Date of inspection: March 26
The can opener is not clean to sight and touch.

Harar Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant
542 S. 23rd St.
Date of inspection: March 26
The blender lid is not clean to sight and touch.

Hunan Gate Restaurant
4233 N. Fairfax Drive
Date of inspection: March 26
Stored food in the dry storage, walk-in cooler, the walk-in freezer are not protected from contamination.

Kabob Palace
2333 S. Eads St.
Date of inspection: March 26
Proper pest control methods are not used to minimize the presence of insects, rodents, and other pests found in the establishment. Mouse droppings were observed in the outside storage room on the shelves, on product, and on the floor. Mouse droppings were observed in the back hallway, in the hallway closets and men's restroom.

Nando's of Pentagon Row
1301 S. Joyce St. D-10
Date of inspection: March 26
A sign or poster that notifies food employees to wash their hands is not provided at all hand washing lavatories used by food employees and/or is not clearly visible to food employees.

Outback Steakhouse #4715
4821 N. First St.
Date of inspection: March 26
Ready-to-eat food is not protected from cross contamination by separating them from raw animal foods. Raw seafood over cheese and wraps in the Traulsen refrigerator at the left of the grill.

Plaza Gourmet
2173-B Crystal Plaza Arcade
Date of inspection: March 26
Insect, rodent, and/or other pest harborage conditions exist on the premises. Dead German cockroaches were observed in the cabinetry under the soda fountain machine.

Marymount Sandella's & Jazzman's Cafe
2807 N. Glebe Road
Date of inspection: March 25
The food establishment is not under the immediate control of a Northern Virginia certified food manager.

Cafe 59 II
2461 S. Clark St.
Date of inspection: March 22
Surfaces of the soda fountain nozzles are not clean.

Peking Pavilion Restaurant
2912 N. Sycamore St.
Date of inspection: March 22
Peking ducks, in walk-in, prepared and held in the food establishment for more than 24 hours is not clearly marked to indicate the date or day by which the food shall be consumed on the premises, sold, or discarded.

Red Parrot
1110 N. Glebe Road
Date of inspection: March 22
The food establishment serves or sells raw or undercooked food and the permit holder does not inform consumers of the significantly increased risk consuming such foods by way of a disclosure and reminder using brochures, deli case or menu advisories, label statements, table tents, placards, or other effective written means.

China Express
81 N. Glebe Road
Date of inspection: March 21
Repackaged raw animal foods are not separated from each other during storage in the freezers. Ready-to-eat food is not protected from cross contamination by separating them from raw animal foods in the freezers.

Dama Market & Restaurant
1503 Columbia Pike
Date of inspection: March 21
There are not an adequate number of hand-washing sinks necessary for the convenient use by employees. No hand wash station at meat area.

Fort Myer Market
1210 N. Fort Myer Drive
Date of inspection: March 21
Food stored in a location where it is subject to splash, dust or other contamination.

Two Chef's Pizza Restaurant
5019 Wilson Blvd.
Date of inspection: March 21
A food employee failed to wash his or her hands before donning gloves for working with food.

El Paso Cafe
4235 N. Pershing Drive
Date of inspection: March 20
Cooked beans, containers of salsa, stored in walk in, prepared and held in the food establishment for more than 24 hours is not clearly marked to indicate the date or day by which the food shall be consumed on the premises, sold, or discarded.

Samuel Becketts Irish Gastro Pub
2800 S. Randolph St.
Date of inspection: March 20
Moldy unlabelled cheese found in the walk-in refrigerator is not safe, unadulterated, and/or honestly presented.

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According to the Virginia Department of Health:

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations.

"Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long term cleanliness of an establishment."