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:

Maki of Japan
1100 S. Hayes St. VC-06
Date of inspection: March 19
The person in charge did not demonstrate their knowledge of symptoms associated with the diseases that are transmissible through food.

Pupuseria Dona Azucena
71 N. Glebe Road
Date of inspection: March 19
The hand-washing sink located near the ware washing area is not maintained so that it is accessible at all times for employee use. Sanitizer bucket observed in the hand sink basin.

Pupuseria Dona Bessy
77 N. Glebe Road
Date of inspection: March 19
A mouse was observed running across the basement floor after the back door was left open for deliveries.

Union Jack's of Ballston
4238 Wilson Blvd. #(1) First Floor
Date of inspection: March 18
A sign or poster that notifies food employees to wash their hands is not provided at all handwashing lavatories used by food employees and/or is not clearly visible to food employees. No hand-washing signage at main bar hand sink, back bar hand sink, and men's restroom hand sink.

Arlington Capitol View Residence Inn-Gate House
2800/2850 Potomac Ave.
Date of inspection: March 15
The food establishment is not under the immediate control of a Northern Virginia certified food manager.

Bright Horizons at Crystal City
2451 Crystal Drive #100
Date of inspection: March 15
No violations were found during the inspection

Pizzoli Pizza
2249-E. S. Shirlington Road
Date of inspection: March 15
The nonfood-contact surface of the rusty walk-in shelving is not corrosion-resistant, nonabsorbent, and/or smooth.

Potbelly Sandwich Works
1615 Crystal Square Arcade
Date of inspection: March 15
Open beverage containers were not handled to prevent contamination of a food employee's hands, the container, exposed food, and/or clean equipment was observed.

Red Rocks Neapolitan Bistro
2501 Ninth Road S. #85
Date of inspection: March 15
Raw chicken observed over raw pork and raw beef observed over raw pork in walk-in.

Rinconcito Latino Restaurant
303 N. Glebe Road
Date of inspection: March 15
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. No hand wash sign at back kitchen hand wash station or men's restroom hand sink.

Tara Temple
4001 N. Fairfax Drive
Date of inspection: March 15
Live roaches observed in the kitchen.

BGR: The Burger Joint
3129 Lee Highway
Date of inspection: March 14
An insect control device is located over a food preparation area and where dead insects may cause contamination by being impelled or falling onto exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linens, and/or unwrapped single service and single use articles.

Cafe Sequoia
2100 Washington Blvd.
Date of inspection: March 14
Bag of spinach observed improperly thawing in bucket of room temperature water.

Metro 29 Diner Restaurant
4711 Lee Highway
Date of inspection: March 14
No violations were found during the inspection

Neramitra
2200-I Crystal Drive
Date of inspection: March 14
Food employees are not wearing effective hair restraints.

Athena Pallas
556 S. 22nd St.
Date of inspection: March 14
The food-contact surface of slicer blade, several knives on wall rack and tongs is not clean to sight and touch.

Charley's Grilled Subs
4238 Wilson Blvd. #158
Date of inspection: March 13
The person in charge did not demonstrate their knowledge of the required food temperatures and times for the safe cooking of potentially hazardous food.

Mom's Pizza Restaurant
3255 Columbia Pike
Date of inspection: March 13
The nonfood-contact surface of the ceiling tiles over ware washing/prep area are not corrosion-resistant, nonabsorbent, and/or smooth.

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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."