GAINESVILLE — A Gainesville Mexican restaurant is facing a follow-up inspection after scoring a 55 during a routine health inspection earlier this month.
Los Carrillo’s Restaurant, at 503 Atlanta Highway, was cited for nine violations June 10, including repeated problems with food storage and equipment cleanliness.
No manager on site
When the inspector arrived, no manager was present at the restaurant. An employee told the inspector the manager was not on the premises and was only reachable by phone. Georgia food service rules require a person in charge to be on site at all times. Staff were educated on that requirement, but the violation was not corrected during the inspection.
Food safety failures
The most serious violations involved food temperatures and improper food storage — both of which can lead directly to foodborne illness.
Inspectors found multiple temperature-sensitive foods sitting in a prep top cooler at temperatures ranging from 47 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. State rules require those foods to be kept at 41 degrees or below. The restaurant’s person in charge voluntarily threw out some items and moved others to a colder unit.
Cooked Mexican rice was found hot-holding on a steam table at just 114 degrees — well below the required minimum of 135 degrees. The rice had been in the unit less than two hours and was reheated to 175 degrees before the inspector left.
Inspectors also found raw chorizo, raw shrimp, raw beef, raw steak, raw chicken, and raw eggs stored improperly alongside ready-to-eat foods in a reach-in cooler — a repeat violation. Raw and ready-to-eat foods must be stored separately to prevent cross-contamination. A staff member rearranged the items during the inspection.
Handwashing problems
Two separate handwashing violations were documented. In one instance, an employee touched the faucet handle with bare hands after washing, re-contaminating them. In another, an employee cleaned tables and then moved directly to serving food without washing hands or changing gloves. Both employees washed their hands before returning to work.
Two employees were also observed drinking from open plastic water bottles in the food preparation area — another violation. Employees are allowed to drink in food prep areas only from cups with secure lids and straws. The employees were educated on the rule and washed their hands before returning to work.
Equipment and storage issues
The inside of the ice machine had a visible buildup of black residue — a repeat violation. The person in charge was directed to clean and sanitize the interior of the machine by the end of the business day.
A knife was found stored in the gap between a cooler and a prep table rather than in a proper storage location — also a repeat violation. The knife was removed and sent to the three-compartment sink to be washed, rinsed, and sanitized.
Clean equipment was found wet-stacking after washing, which prevents proper air-drying. A staff member rearranged the equipment to allow it to dry correctly.
A follow-up inspection has been scheduled.
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
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