Gwinnett wing restaurant fails health inspection with a 54

LILBURN — A Lilburn restaurant that serves hot wings failed its most recent health inspection with a score of 54 out of 100, putting its operating permit at risk.

What’s Happening: Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County health inspectors visited Cafe Hot Wing #10 at 895 Indian Trail Lilburn Road NW on May 19 and found more than a dozen violations. The restaurant received a U grade.

The violations included:

• Raw eggs stored above ready-to-eat limes and celery in the walk-in cooler
• Raw fish stored above ready-to-eat french fries, and raw beef stored above ready-to-eat mixed vegetables in the reach-in freezer
• Raw chicken stored above raw beef in the reach-in freezer
• Multiple foods in the prep cooler sitting above the required 41 degrees — those items were thrown out
• Containers of rice made more than 24 hours earlier stored with no date labels
• Beef and mixed vegetables left to thaw at room temperature instead of under refrigeration or running water
• No thermometer capable of reading the temperature of thin foods like fish fillets or hamburger patties

What’s Important: An employee was eating in the kitchen. Multiple workers handled food without hair nets or hats. An employee used the handwashing sink to rinse utensils instead of washing hands. Employee personal items — including coffee, tortillas, seasonings, a jacket, and glasses — were stored alongside restaurant food in the dry storage area. Insect traps had a large buildup of dead insects and were not being swapped out often enough.

How This Affects Real People: Inspectors found raw meats stored above ready-to-eat foods in multiple coolers. That type of storage can allow bacteria from raw meat to drip onto food that will not be cooked again before it reaches a customer’s plate.

What Comes Next: A follow-up inspection is set for on or before May 29. If the violations are not corrected, the restaurant’s permit to operate will be suspended. A second routine inspection is also required within the next 12 months.