WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County health inspectors cited food-temperature failures, pest activity and inadequate sanitizing at several restaurants, schools and other food facilities during inspections conducted Sept. 16, with some food discarded and equipment taken out of service.
The Chester County Health Department cautions that inspection reports represent conditions observed at a specific date and time and may not reflect a facility’s overall long-term sanitation or food-safety performance.
At Penns Grove Middle School in Oxford, inspectors found milk being held above required temperatures and oven-fried chicken that had not cooled to 41 degrees or below within the required six-hour period.
Internal milk temperatures measured 49 to 50 degrees, while the cooler’s ambient temperature ranged from 48 to 51 degrees, according to the inspection report. The milk was discarded, and inspectors directed the school not to use the cooler for milk until it is serviced and maintains temperatures of 41 degrees or lower.
Four pans of oven-fried chicken measured between 44 and 49 degrees after cooling and were also discarded.
Inspectors additionally cited the school for failing to date-mark prepared chicken, ice accumulation at a walk-in freezer, ceiling damage, a missing ceiling tile, unused refrigeration equipment, and cardboard accumulation that could create pest harborage.
Three Brothers Mexican Grille in Spring City was cited for multiple food-handling and sanitation violations, including improperly cooling Mexican rice at room temperature and thawing a case of chicken at room temperature.
Inspectors also found pork stored in a reach-in cooler with an Aug. 10 preparation date and a gallon of milk past its manufacturer date. Both were voluntarily discarded during the inspection.
Other violations included mold-like debris inside an ice maker, deeply grooved cutting boards, grease-like buildup on equipment and floors, improperly stored wiping cloths, missing hair restraints, and an open bag of flour stored without a covered food-grade container.
Inspectors also observed a can of Raid roach spray in the food-preparation area and directed the facility to remove it, stating that professional pest-control services must be used.
At La Cabra Brew Pub in Berwyn, a follow-up inspection found mouse-like droppings along basement floor edges and behind equipment in the kitchen and bar areas.
An inspector also observed one live baby Oriental cockroach and several dead Oriental cockroaches on glue boards in the basement dry-storage area and kitchen. The facility was already receiving weekly pest-control service and was directed to continue submitting service reports to the Health Department.
Dishwashing equipment also failed to reach required sanitizer concentrations. Chlorine measured 25 parts per million in the main kitchen dishwasher, zero in the main bar glass dishwasher, and 25 ppm in the upstairs bar dishwasher.
The facility called for service and was directed to use alternative sanitizing procedures if required concentrations could not be maintained.
Inspectors also cited La Cabra for reduced-oxygen packaging of chicken wings without documentation or monitoring of a secondary food-safety barrier addressing potential Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes risks. The facility was directed to provide its HACCP plan information to the county.
Other violations included holes requiring sealing, unfinished basement flooring, and the reuse of single-use seafood containers, which were discarded during the inspection.
A follow-up inspection at Hibachi of Downingtown found sanitizer concentrations outside required ranges in two locations.
Chlorine sanitizer in a food-preparation bucket measured above 500 ppm instead of the required 50 to 100 ppm. In the bar, sanitizer in the three-bay warewashing sink measured between 10 and 25 ppm.
Both solutions were remade during the inspection and retested at 50 ppm.
Inspectors also found one dead cockroach in a glue trap behind a three-door cooler and another dead cockroach between dining rooms. The facility was directed to continue biweekly professional pest-control service until no activity is observed.
A large pot used to make teriyaki sauce also exceeded the capacity of the facility’s warewashing sink and was ordered removed because equipment requiring manual washing must be capable of being fully submerged.
At Chesterbrook Academy in Exton, yogurt and ranch dressing were held between 44 and 48 degrees in a kitchen cooler, above the required maximum of 41 degrees.
The food was discarded. Inspectors noted that an overcrowded shelf could have been blocking airflow and directed the facility to rearrange the cooler, monitor temperatures, and service the unit if necessary.
The academy was also cited for failing to publicly post its valid Chester County certified food manager certificate, lacking an accessible probe thermometer, and failing to adequately clean a windowsill above the three-compartment sink.
Inspectors also found child medication stored above food in a refrigerator. The medication was relocated during the inspection, and the facility was reminded that refrigerated medicine stored in a food refrigerator must be kept inside an identified, covered, and leakproof container.
A follow-up inspection at Chester Valley Golf Club in Malvern found that a grill-bar dishwasher was not producing detectable chlorine sanitizer during its final rinse, rather than the required 50 to 100 ppm.
Inspectors directed the facility to repair the machine and use the main kitchen for dishwashing until repairs are completed.
The golf club was also cited for a worn door sweep on a walk-in cooler that no longer sat flush with the floor.
The Health Department reported the following facilities in compliance during Sept. 16 inspections:
- Avon Grove Charter School Early Learning Center @ Kemblesville – Food, 1769 New London Road, Landenberg
- Berwyn Bistro, formerly Executive Cafe II, 801 Cassatt Road, Unit 40, Berwyn
- Buffalo Wild Wings To Go, 1502 West Chester Pike, Suite 18, West Chester
- Episcopal Church of the Advent, 401 Union St., Kennett Square
- Kona Ice King of Prussia / CCHD #1579, 106 Summit Drive, Phoenixville
- Mini Cakes and More LLC @ AEFM, 208 Carter Drive, Suite 13B, West Chester
- Star Gas & Diesel, 700 W. Cypress St., Kennett Square
- Takumi Japanese Bistro & Bar, 821 W. Lancaster Ave., Unit 240, Wayne
- Taquitos Los Cantaritos / CCHD #1178, 710 W. Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square
- Thai Restaurant, Store #730, 700 Nutt Road, Phoenixville
- Ya Ya Chinese Restaurant, 22 E. Street Road, West Chester
The county accepts confidential environmental health complaints at https://www.chesco.org/5843. People who became ill after eating at a food establishment are directed to call 610-344-6225 instead of using the online complaint form.
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