WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County health inspectors documented food-safety violations at five establishments on Aug. 17, including improper food temperatures, cross-contamination risks and malfunctioning refrigeration and sanitizing equipment, while six other facilities inspected were listed as in compliance.
The Chester County Health Department cautions that inspection reports represent conditions observed at a specific date and time and may not reflect an establishment’s long-term sanitation or food-safety record.
Three Brothers Grill, 17 Main St. in Phoenixville, received the most extensive list of violations among the reports released for Aug. 17. Inspectors found foods in a steam table being held between 105 and 116 degrees instead of the required minimum of 135 degrees, while another steam-table inspection found foods between 111 and 119 degrees.
The department directed the restaurant to move food to the grill for proper reheating and prohibited use of the steam table until it is repaired or replaced.
Inspectors also found a bain-marie cooler operating at about 50 degrees, above the required maximum of 41 degrees for foods requiring temperature control. The affected food was voluntarily discarded, and the restaurant was instructed not to use the unit until it is repaired.
Other findings at Three Brothers Grill included frozen shrimp and partially frozen chicken being thawed at room temperature, inadequate handwashing between tasks, missing hair restraints, food lacking required date markings, unlabeled chemical bottles, improperly labeled grab-and-go desserts and cleaning deficiencies.
The inspection also found that the person in charge did not demonstrate adequate knowledge of the Pennsylvania Food Code and that a certified food manager was not on site at the time.
At Barnaby’s/West Chester, 15 S. High St., inspectors conducting a follow-up inspection reported debris in an upstairs ice machine and insect activity at bar areas, including in a soda-gun holster at the downstairs banquet bar. The establishment was directed to obtain professional pest-control service and provide the resulting report to the Health Department.
Inspectors also found raw shrimp stored above ready-to-eat foods at the cook line. The shrimp was relocated during the inspection.
A small cooler at the main bar was holding food above 41 degrees, while a low-temperature dishwasher at the dance bar produced less than the required 50 parts per million of chlorine sanitizer during its final rinse, according to the report.
Las Toluquenas Express Inc., 520 S. Union St. in Kennett Square, was cited over cooling and food-separation practices. Inspectors found rice at 123 degrees in a large pot and directed staff to use shallow pans, refrigeration and temperature monitoring to meet required cooling thresholds.
Raw chicken was also on a table while vegetables and watermelon were being cut, prompting instructions to separate meat preparation from fruits and vegetables and clean and sanitize food-contact equipment between uses.
Chorizo and steak in a steam table measured 125 degrees, below the required 135-degree minimum. The establishment was also directed to obtain at least two food thermometers, date packaged foods, clean dusty ceiling vents and fans and keep food away from the handwashing sink.
At Sky Zone Exton, 912 Springdale Drive, inspectors found commercially processed ready-to-eat food held for more than 24 hours without required date markings. The facility was also directed to clean equipment surfaces and repair or adjust a handwashing sink in the back preparation area because its water did not reach the required minimum temperature of 85 degrees.
Warwick Child Care – Food/Cedarville, 16 E. Cedarville Road in Pottstown, was cited after milk in a classroom refrigerator measured between 43 and 46 degrees. Milk and eggs were discarded, and the department instructed the facility not to store temperature-controlled foods in the refrigerator until it is repaired.
Inspectors also reported a leaking three-bay sink, a mop sink that would not drain and unfinished wood beneath and behind the three-bay sink. The facility’s displayed Chester County certified food manager was no longer employed there, and another staff member was directed to apply for certification.
Six establishments were listed as in compliance in the Aug. 17 inspection records:
- La Rancherita Mexican Taqueria in West Chester;
- Opus in Kennett Square;
- Pizza Hut #6022011 in West Chester;
- Rey Azteca Mexican Restaurant in West Chester;
- Vecchia in Phoenixville; and
- Wawa #146/North Coventry in Pottstown.
The Health Department encourages residents who observe potentially unsanitary conditions to submit a confidential Environmental Health Complaint at https://www.chesco.org/5843. People who become ill after eating at a food establishment are instructed to call the department at 610-344-6225 rather than use the online complaint form.
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