Popular downtown Lawrenceville restaurant fails health inspection with a 61

LAWRENCEVILLE — A well-known downtown Lawrenceville restaurant is facing a follow-up inspection after health inspectors found more than a dozen violations during a routine visit last week.

McCray’s, at 100 N. Perry St., scored a 61 — a failing grade — when Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Department inspectors visited May 22.

What inspectors found

The violations ranged from improper food storage to a malfunctioning dishwasher.

Inspectors found raw chicken stored behind raw fish in a prep cooler, raw shell eggs stored on top of milk containers, and unwashed produce stored above ready-to-eat food in the walk-in cooler. Those items were rearranged during the inspection.

The restaurant’s dishwasher was not reaching the required sanitizing temperature of 160 degrees. Staff set up a three-compartment sink to sanitize equipment while the dishwasher service company was contacted. Inspectors also found a black mold-like substance and slime inside the ice machine.

Multiple food items that require temperature control were being held above the required 41 degrees. Some food was discarded and other items were allowed to cool.

Inspectors also found employees preparing sanitizer buckets on top of a preparation table next to cooked bacon, and sanitizer wipes stored on a bar prep table next to cut lemons and other food ingredients. Both were relocated during the inspection.

The restaurant also could not provide written procedures for handling vomiting or diarrhea incidents, did not have a written allergen notification for customers, and lacked a temperature indicator required to measure dishwasher surface temperatures. Clean cups were found stored wet and stacked rather than air-dried.

What comes next

Inspectors noted the rooftop bar was closed at the time of the visit. A hand wash sink at that bar was leaking, though the person in charge said a plumber was scheduled for that day.

A follow-up inspection is required within 10 days. If violations are not corrected by then, the restaurant’s permit could be suspended. An additional required inspection will also take place within the next 12 months.

For questions, contact the health department at (770) 963-5132 or visit gnrhealth.com.