(Toledo News Now) - Some food joints are fast to fail in this week's Restaurant Ratings report, but there are a few worthy of consumer praise.
It's an "all hands on deck" operation at family-owned Glass City Cafe on Madison Avenue downtown.
"We do in-house training. We've had a fairly small number of employee turnovers, so we've been able to work with our employees and get them to abide by our rules, which are also the health department's rules," said owner Steve Crouse.
From all corners of the Glass City Cafe, food safety is valued just as much as the history that blankets the wall. It's the cafe's work ethic in food safety that locals have come to expect.
"We've got a very open kitchen, a very open environment here. It's a constant thing to keep things clean and we try to stay on top of it," said Crouse.
Crouse says the restaurant business is competitive, but to stay a cut above, his team will continue maintaining a clean, working environment.
With that said, Grape Leaf Express on Monroe Street in west Toledo has come catching up to do. Its 16 violations will force employees out of the kitchen and into the classroom for a food safety course.
Inspectors found no hot water, no paper towels, but a new smoothie bar. However, it was added to the facility without the health department's approval. Inspectors also noted tubs of food missing dates, improper cooling of soups, and spray bottles lacking labels. A serious cross-contamination risk was found when inspectors noticed a block of margarine stored directly on top of raw chicken.
Cross-contamination was also present at the Buzz Family Diner in Whitehouse. Poultry, pork and beef were found intermingled on freezer shelves. Inspectors found four violations, including flooring in the front kitchen in disrepair and chemical squirt bottles hanging from the pots and pans rack, which could contaminate food or clean equipment.
The Penguin Palace in Maumee is clean and the ice cream is cold. Inspectors noted the facility is storing and dating food properly.
If you feel like a frosty at Wendy's on Dussel Drive in Maumee, go for it. Employees have their hair restrained and are wearing gloves to prepare the food. No violations were reported during its inspection on Aug. 14.
Red Robin on Monroe Street in west Toledo was given seven violations during its health inspection. Violations included, broken ice machines, utensils sitting in standing water, ice buildup around the door of the walk-in freezer, gnats flying around the bar and problematic grout in the kitchen. Management was told to replace the missing floor tile.
Overall, Subway on Secor Road in west Toledo was given a poor report with three violations. Inspectors noted buildup in pop nozzles, a tea machine leaking water and inadequate cleanliness, calling the floors, sinks and bathrooms "dirty."
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Grape Leaf Express received 16 violations during its health inspection.
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