Fanin County's Health Department is the designated agency for conducting restaurant inspections as required by Georgia law.  In November, several local restaurants were inspected.  Violations are categorized as:

• Category I        Hazardous and violations must be corrected immediately
• Category II      Critical and violations must be corrected within 72 hours
• Category III     General

Georgia's food service regulations affecting restaurant food handling and inspection had several changes effective December 1.  A restaurant's inspection grade must be posted in plain view near the front door of the restaurant which also includes a drive thru window.  The inspection form will give a letter grade and a number grade.

• A = 90 to 100 equals food safety excellence
• B = 80 to 99   equals satisfactory compliance
• C = 70 to 79   equals marginal compliance
• U = 69 or less equals unsatisfactory compliance

Each restaurant will now be required to have a food safety manager on staff.  Other changes include:  double hand washing by food handlers after using the toilet (once upon leaving restroom and again in the kitchen); any employee who prepares read-to-eat foods must wear clean, disposable gloves and change gloves anytime an unclean surface is touched; on self service buffets or salad bars, new foods cannot be mixed with old foods already on the bar unless foods meet a standard temperature.  Also, these foods must be disposed at the end of the day or after a maximum of 24 hours.  To read about other changes, visit Georgia's food service regulations

The Victorian House Restaurant  
Inspected:  November 5
Score:  100
No violations

Smokey Mountains Coffee Co.
Inspected:  November 15
Score:  100
No Violations

Michiko's
Inspected:  November 16
Score:  100
No Violations

Happy Dayz
Inspected:  November 8
Score:  100
No violations

Morganton Music Park
Inspected:  November 30
Score:  100
No violations

Yellow Jacket Restaurant
Inspected:  November 14
Score:  97
Category II:  Hot water not working in men's room

Sue's Cafeteria
Inspected:  November 6
Score:  95
Category II:  need to clean meat slicer after each use 

Kentucky Fried Chicken
Inspected:  November 19
Score:  95
Category II:  pans stored wet on wire rack; need tempered water in restrooms

The Cabin Grille
Inspected:  November 20
Score:  95
Violation not noted but no Category I or II violations

Circle J Steakhouse
Inspected:  November 29
Score:  95
No Category I or II violations

El Sol Mexican Restaurant
Inspected:  November 26
Score:  93
Category I:  all potentially hazardous foods that are to be stored cool must be stored at 41 degrees or lower beef and chicken on prep table were placed in ice bath to bring to proper temperature

Golden Star Chinese Restaurant
Inspected:  November 27
Score:  90
Category II:  utensils not stored in clean/proper manner (there was no food on buffet at time of inspection)

Blue Jeans Pizza & Pasta
Inspected:  November 2
Score:  85
Category I:  milk dated October 30 (three days out)

Read more about Fannin County Restaurant scores for August, September and October 2007   For information on other restaurants in the area, visit  Area Restaurants

Donna Yates, Realtor with Mountain Investments of North Georgia, primarily serving the North Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains.  Please visit Donna in Blue Ridge  for local area news, events, happenings and current real estate market conditions.  Also, see the listings of the best homes for sale in North Georgia!