Darien – Darien health inspectors found broken refrigerators, failed handwashing and unclean cooking conditions at local restaurants during the last quarter of the year.
3 local restaurants and Darien Depot failed health inspections between September and December. Under state guidelines, ineligibility means a restaurant scores less than 80 out of 100, or has four points of violation, reserved for violations that could cause harm to customers or employees and require immediate correction.
Darien also uses a letter-based system for its health checks, with an A for good condition, a B for acceptable, and a C for business that needs improvement.
According to Health Director David Knauf, the system is designed to take into account a restaurant’s history, including if there are repeat violations. It’s also designed to encourage restaurants to make improvements quickly, as a poorly displayed rating could hurt business.
During an inspection in December, Thai Time was flagged for two of the four violations, including failing to wash hands (due in part to a flooded sink), and not cooling enough to cool. Other considerations include improperly thawed meat, improper food storage, and unclean cooking surfaces.
The restaurant failed a follow-up inspection in January, correcting a handwashing but not refrigeration temperature violation. Other considerations include dishwashers needing servicing, proper sanitization of tools and some pest droppings.
This is not the first time this restaurant has been told to improve. The most recent January rating marks Thai Time’s fifth C rating since May. In that time, it has yet to earn an A.
Thai Time manager Koupasert Sysourath said they worked hard to fix the issues that were identified, but Darien’s standards were “ridiculously high” and much stricter than other cities.
After several relatively excellent ratings, Crêpes Choupette’s grade suddenly dropped from an A to a failing C after an inspector reported four points deducted in December for failing to wash hands and 11 other risk factor violations.
Violations included failing to train staff, not washing produce, handling food and utensils insanitary and not cleaning kitchen surfaces, according to health inspectors.
Owner Adil Chokairy said the inspection came at a busy time for the relatively new business and that the agency was short-staffed.
“I can’t argue with them because I think it’s their right to check and I’m willing to learn from them,” Chokairy said. “They’re doing their job, and I view their criticism as a healthy concern for the improvement of my business.”
While employee sanitation has been corrected as of early January, the restaurant is still rated B due to dirty refrigerators and widespread smog in the kitchen. The restaurant was also penalized for not displaying its rating.
Because staff cook all the food in front of customers, it can be challenging to clean thoroughly during peak hours, compared with hidden kitchens, Chokairy said.
He also added that the ratings were not set in stone and that he was always listening to the health department to ameliorate any concerns they had.
“Sometimes the rating system can affect customer perception,” he said. “There’s a difference between what’s good food, why I should eat here, and how it’s rated.”
Pho Fans Vietnamese received a four-point violation in September after an inspector found that refrigeration temperatures were not kept below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, placing food in the temperature danger zone.
Since then, the restaurant has received an A rating during inspections — twice shortly after it failed the assessment and once in late November — and has acknowledged significant improvements in inspector notes.
A representative for Pho Fans did not respond to a request for comment.
Outside of the restaurant, the Depot Youth Center ran into trouble in September when inspectors found its refrigerator wasn’t cold enough. The company was also cited for moldy ice makers.
Depot executive director Laura Downing said Depot knew the refrigerator was broken when inspectors arrived and was arranging for repairs. Everything has been brought out except some sodas.
“They gave us a few days to sort things out, which we did. They came back and everything was fine,” she said.
The Depot now gets a perfect score. Downing said the unannounced visit could have an unexpected benefit, as she hopes to have inspectors come back to speak about food safety for Depot’s life skills program.
