This Columbus restaurant received unsatisfactory score in December’s health inspections

Brittany McGee
·4 min read

Food being held at improper temperatures and not being stored properly were among the primary reasons two Columbus restaurants require follow-ups after December’s health inspections.

Xin Kee BBQ inside the Asian Supermarket on Milgen Road received a “U” or “unsatisfactory compliance” score on its Dec. 29 health inspection. Mike & Ed’s Bar-B-Q on Schomburg Road received a “C” grade on Dec. 6.

Restaurants receive one of four letter grades that are assigned based on how many points are deducted from 100:

  • “A” grades mean food safety is excellent is achieved by receiving 90-100 points

  • “B’s” are issued when there is “satisfactory compliance” with the business receiving 80-89 points

  • “C’s” mean there is marginal compliance and applied to scores between 70-79

  • “U’s” represent unsatisfactory compliance and are applied to scores of 69 or less.

Establishments that receive a “C” or “U” food safety grade will have at least one additional routine inspection added in a twelve month period, according to state law.

Xin Kee BBQ and Mike & Ed’s Bar-B-Q inspections

According to the Xin Kee BBQ inspection report, the business lost 36 points earning a score of 64 for reasons including:

  • Person in charge was unable to demonstrate that food employees are/were informed of their responsibility to report symptoms or illnesses.

  • Raw pork was stored above carrots and raw shrimp was stored above tofu in a reach-in cooler risking cross contamination.

  • Several dumplings in the reach-in freezer were stored uncovered.

  • Hot food was stored below 135 degrees under a heat lamp in the front food service area.

  • Whole cuts of pork were sitting on top of a three-compartment sink to thaw.

  • Buckets of mixed vegetables and soy sauce along with frozen squid and shrimp were stored on the floor of a walk-in cooler.

Xin Kee BBQ’s previously scored an 88 and a 100 in earlier 2023 health inspections.

When food service establishments receive violations they are educated on safe options to correct the violations, Kristi Ludy, the district director for environmental health at the West Central Health District, told the Ledger-Enquirer.

Risk factor violations observed during inspections are to be corrected on-site before the Health Authority leaves the establishment, she said.

“A routine inspection of a food service establishment is a snapshot of the operation at that particular point in time on that day,” Ludy said.

If a food service establishment is graded as a “U” and doesn’t earn at least a “C” on its follow-up inspection, she said, it may be requested to voluntarily close until all violations are corrected.

Mike & Ed’s Bar-B-Q earned a 78 on its December health inspection losing points for:

  • Food items in the reach-in freezer were not covered or protected from overhead contamination.

  • Ice chute in the bulk-producing ice machine had black and red residue on it

  • Sanitizing solution in the 3-compartment sink was too weak.

  • Food employee did not properly wash, rinse and sanitize a knife after slicing tomatoes.

  • Containers of cooked food were sitting out at room temperature throughout the main kitchen without written procedures for using time as a public health control.

  • Baked beans in the walk-in cooler with a discard date of Dec. 3.

  • Improper thawing methods used for macaroni and cheese.

  • Facility’s thermometer was not working at the time of the inspection.

There were 38 restaurants, lounges and bars inspected in December, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s online portal. Of the 32 Columbus businesses offering food services that received “A’s” in their routine inspections, 12 of them earned perfect scores. and three earned “B’s”.

Here are the other scores for other restaurants inspected in December.

Perfect food safety scores

  • Bella’s CAKEtering, 5750 Milgen Rd. Suite 105

  • Country Road Buffet, 2509 Airport Trwy

  • Corndogs by Mr. Cow, 3131 Manchester Expy Suite #3F

  • Flying Biscuit Cafe, 211 13th St Unit 100

  • IHOP #3366, 6317 Talokas Ln

  • It’s Tamale Time, 211 13th St. Unit 106

  • Hub’s Wings & Things, 1815 12th Ave. Unit A

  • Mercy’s Jamaican Kitchen, 5753 Milgen Rd

  • Papa John’s Pizza, 7750 Old Moon Rd

  • Shark’s Fish & Chicken, 5609 Milgen Rd

  • Southern Style Catering, 4125 Hamilton Rd

  • Texas Roadhouse, 2970 N. Lake Pkwy

Other restaurants receiving A grades

  • Acers Grill & Bar, 101 4th St.

  • Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar, 3229 Gentian Blvd

  • Captain D’s #3518, 1212 Manchester Expy

  • Chipotle Mexican Grill, 5295 Whittlesey Blvd

  • Columbus Crab House, 3517 Victory Dr Suite A7

  • Country Wings Victory, 3754 Victory Dr

  • Downtown Market, 1205 1st Ave Suite 101

  • Epic Cigar and Hookah Lounge, 7160 Moon Rd Suite 1

  • Fiesta Snacks, 4403 17th Ave

  • Fife and Drum, 3800 S. Lumpkin Rd

  • Lemongrass Thai & Sushi, 2435 Wynnton Rd

  • Paleteria Los Reyes, 2505 Airport Trwy unit M

  • Players Billiards, 1500 54th St

  • San Jose Mexican Restaurant, 5770 Milgen Rd Suite 6

  • Sharks Fish & Chicken, 1810 Wynnton Rd

  • Tacos El Paisa, 1649 Elvan Ave

  • Tacos El Paisa - Mobile, 1649 Elvan Ave

  • Waffle House, 7380 Blackmon Rd

  • Wakis African Kitchen, 2901 University Ave suite 1

  • Wendy’s, 3639 Victory Dr

  • Zaxby’s, 4424 Buena Vista Rd

Restaurants receiving B grades

  • Ha Ru Sushi, 2505 Airport Trwy unit B

  • Newk’s Eatery, 5555 Whittlesey Blvd 1920

  • Hibachi Express, 6563 Gateway Rd Suite A