Last Friday, a Duluth Venezuelan restaurant and bar landed in the unsatisfactory column after a routine health inspection turned up a long list of food safety problems. The Gwinnett-Newton-Rockdale public health inspection gave the business a score of 65, which under state rules falls squarely into the "U" category.
What inspectors found
Inspectors documented several critical violations, most of them tied to temperature control. Six large containers of prepped raw chicken were found held above 41F for longer than four hours and had to be discarded, and a pot of vegetable soup sitting on the stove was measured below the 135F hot-holding requirement after being held for more than two hours. The report also notes discarded precooked shrimp, coconut shrimp, and frozen chicken strips, as well as three containers of condensed milk stored above 41F.
Beyond the food itself, inspectors observed an employee drinking from a plastic water bottle in the kitchen. Thermometers were not accurately measuring temperatures, a handwashing sink near the warewashing area did not have hot water, and two sanitizer spray bottles contained quaternary ammonia above the manufacturer-recommended concentration. A follow-up inspection is scheduled for March 13, according to WhatNow.
What the rules say
Under Georgia regulations, restaurants receive letter grades based on numeric scores: A (90), B (80), C (70) and U (69 or less). Any establishment that earns a C or U must undergo a follow-up inspection. Health authorities are also empowered to condemn or destroy unsafe food and, in cases of persistent or severe violations, to request voluntary closure or suspend a facility. These provisions are spelled out in the Georgia Rules & Regulations (Chapter 511-6-1).
What diners should know
If you ate at the restaurant recently and are dealing with stomach upset, vomiting or fever, contact your healthcare provider and mention where and when you ate. The local health department publishes inspection reports and accepts complaints through its public portal for Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale counties. WhatNow reports that the outlet reached out to the restaurant for comment.
