WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County health inspectors cited food-safety and sanitation violations at six establishments on Sept. 9, including improper raw-meat storage, missed handwashing, refrigeration problems and food-contact surfaces with raw-meat residue, according to county inspection reports.
Asian Halal & Shagun Palace in Exton received citations spanning food handling, employee hygiene, sanitation, labeling, equipment, and facility maintenance.
Inspectors found raw chicken stored above raw goat in the butcher walk-in cooler, creating a potential cross-contamination concern. The chicken was relocated during the inspection.
Two handwashing violations were documented after employees entered the kitchen and handled equipment without first washing their hands. In both instances, the environmental health specialist directed the employees to wash their hands and instructed the establishment to retrain staff.
The person in charge also could not provide documentation showing that goat, chicken and fish came from approved sources. The owner was directed to provide invoices to the Health Department.
Inspectors reported raw-meat residue on food scales in the butcher area and at the order counter, as well as on a walk-in cooler handle. Staff told inspectors that only water had been used on the butcher-area scale and glass cleaner on the counter scale; the facility was directed to clean and sanitize the surfaces with an approved sanitizer.
Other violations at Asian Halal & Shagun Palace included undated mango lassi and condiments, unlabeled prepackaged foods, expired sanitizer test strips, dirty non-food-contact surfaces, bowls used as dispensing utensils, a cellphone on a food-preparation table and a kitchen wall in disrepair.
The establishment was also directed to correct an inadequate air gap at its food-preparation sink, improve lighting in the food-preparation area and remove broken or unused equipment. The certified food manager displayed by the establishment was no longer employed there, according to the report.
At Avalon Restaurant in West Chester, inspectors identified several refrigeration problems. An Atosa refrigerator registered 48 degrees Fahrenheit and a small prep-top refrigerator registered 44 degrees, both above the required 41 degrees or below.
Food was moved from both units, and inspectors directed the restaurant not to use them until repaired. Frozen tortellini found defrosted in a countertop freezer was discarded during the inspection.
The restaurant’s walk-in refrigerator was also measured at 48 degrees, with internal food temperatures at 44 degrees. A technician repaired the walk-in during the inspection, after which it was blowing air at approximately 41 degrees, according to the report.
Avalon’s Whiskey Bar dishwasher initially failed to dispense the proper chlorine concentration. The chlorine container was replaced and the machine was primed during the inspection, bringing the concentration to approximately 50 parts per million.
Inspectors also cited a leaking pipe below the three-compartment sink, dusty kitchen air vents, grease beneath a fryer and improperly labeled bottles.
A follow-up inspection at Apna Bazar Exton found the facility still needed a handwashing sink at its candy counter. The establishment was given 30 days to obtain a portable hand sink. Inspectors also found ice buildup in a refrigerator, which employees began removing during the inspection.
At the KFC/Taco Bell in West Whiteland, another follow-up inspection found an employee returned to the kitchen after smoking outside and entered an order without washing their hands. The inspector directed the employee to wash and instructed the restaurant to train staff.
Inspectors also found the chicken walk-in cooler door remained in disrepair despite repairs to the cooler’s interior walls. Deeply scored cutting boards at the service line were ordered replaced, and several non-food-contact surfaces required cleaning.
Phil’s Famous Pizza & Steaks in Berwyn was cited after an employee failed to properly change gloves and wash their hands between tasks. Inspectors also found the three-compartment sink incorrectly configured, unlabeled and undated foods in the walk-in refrigerator, single-use items stored on the floor and buildup on a wall near the food-preparation sink.
At Ya Ya Chinese Restaurant in West Chester, raw shrimp was found thawing in standing water in a preparation sink. The shrimp was moved to a refrigerator during the inspection.
Inspectors also cited knives and cleavers stored between table edges, food left in an opened steel can in a refrigerator, reuse of cardboard boxes for food storage and excess clutter. A newly installed residential-style refrigerator/freezer had not received Health Department approval and was ordered removed because commercially listed equipment is required.
The county listed the following establishments as in compliance:
- King’s Garden Restaurant, 308 S. High St., West Chester
- Liberty House, 200 Liberty House Lane, Phoenixville
- Moose #1153, 233 W. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown
- Royal Farms #225, 5031 Horseshoe Pike, Downingtown
- Stolen Sun Brewing Company, 342 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton
- Stoltzfus Farm Service, 1043 Gap Newport Pike, Cochranville
- Sushi Awarsei @ Acme / Avondale, 851 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale
- Telangana Spice Kitchen, 8 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton
- Urban Scoop, 309 Lincoln Highway, Exton
- Wawa #8011 / Caln, 3025 Lincoln Highway, Thorndale
The county cautions that an inspection represents conditions observed at a particular date and time and may not reflect an establishment’s long-term sanitation or food-safety status.
Residents who witness unsanitary conditions or believe an issue requires investigation can submit a confidential Environmental Health Complaint at https://www.chesco.org/5843. Anyone who becomes sick after eating at a food establishment should instead call 610-344-6225.
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