Improper storage, blocked sink: Two Macon restaurants fail health inspections in October

Jenna Eason
·3 min read

A seafood restaurant and a Chinese restaurant in Macon failed health inspections by the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) in October.

Red Claw Juicy Seafood & Bar received a score of 65 on their last health inspection on Oct. 31, and New China Express at 1493 Gray Highway received a score of 66 on its inspection on Oct. 12.

Red Claw was docked points because a manager or owner wasn’t present at the time of the inspection, the handwashing sink was blocked by a cart holding batter, no paper towels were present at any of the kitchen handsinks and the facility did not have a body fluid kit, according to the health inspection report.

The restaurant had not opened yet when it received its previous inspection report on May 1 with a score of 97.

New China Express was inspected again on Oct. 17 and received a score of 78. Violations on the Oct. 17 report included food not being covered properly, food not being stored at the right temperature, food not being cooled at the proper rate and several other offenses. The restaurant also had repeat offenses with a non-commercial rice cooker on the preparation line, ceiling tiles missing and ceiling tiles in need of cleaning.

The restaurant also didn’t have its current inspection report — the score of 66 — displayed at the time of the inspection on Oct. 17.

Perfect scores in Macon-Bibb County

Although two restaurants failed their health inspections, several Macon-Bibb County restaurants made perfect scores on their health inspections in October, including one that is soon to be open.

Sweet Eleanor’s Divine Desserts, a new dessert shop in downtown Macon, plans to have a ribbon cutting to celebrate its opening on Nov. 10 at 2 p.m.

Here are the 16 restaurants that received a 100 for their October health inspection.

  • 7 Brew Drive-thru Coffee at 1667 Bass Road

  • AP’s Hidden Hideaway, 4274 Broadway

  • Blossom Nutrition, 4357 Forsyth Road

  • Cast Iron Catering, 2696 Roff Ave.

  • Chick-fil-A, 5055 Brookhaven Road

  • Compass Rose Cafe, 1780 Anthony Road

  • Country Inn & Suites at 4717 Chambers Road

  • Friends Bar and Grill of Macon, 7405 Industrial Highway

  • Hotel Forty Five Autograph Collection, 401 Cotton Ave.

  • McAllister’s Deli, 4641 Presidential Parkway

  • McDonald’s, 1450 Rocky Creek Road

  • Oaks at Lake Wildwood, 6191 Peake Road

  • Plantation Suites, 6000 Plantation Way

  • Residence Inn-Macon, 3900 Sheraton Drive

  • Sakura Japanese Restaurant, 846 Shurling Drive

  • Sweet Eleanor’s, 530 Poplar St.

How it works

The process of inspecting restaurants is simple but also complicated.

After a state environmental health inspector conducts an inspection, a restaurant receives a score that results in a letter grade. The inspector determines the score based on a 100-point scale, and the inspector deducts points for each violation the restaurant has.

Scores of 90-100 result in an “A,” which means the restaurant has reached “food safety excellence.” Scores of 80-89 result in a “B,” which is satisfactory, and scores of 70-79 result in a “C,” which means the restaurant has marginally met requirements. Any score below 70 results in a “U,” which stands for unsatisfactory meaning the restaurant has failed its health inspection, according to the rules of the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Depending on the type of food preparation an establishment performs, a restaurant might have anywhere from one to three inspections a year. The frequency of the inspections may increase due to receiving a “C” or “U” grade on a routine inspection.

The Telegraph monitors inspection results once a months and typically reports the highest and lowest scores.