Five Towns Eateries Get Good Grades

Nearly every eatery in the Five Towns is in line with critical New York State health codes, reported the State Health Department in 2013.

Of 170 health inspections performed in the Five Towns in 2013, just four reported “critical violations,” according to documents reviewed by Patch this week.

Temples, schools, country clubs, and restaurants across Five Towns reported minor issues with health standards, with four establishments reporting a critical violation of code. Additionally, no restaurant reported more than one critical violation.

Violations ranged from a broken or missing thermometer at Woodmere Middle School to improper labeling on chemicals unrelated to food at Temple Hillel Meeting Hall Kitchen, said the reports. Inspectors also reported finding canned foods in poor condition at Seawane Golf Club and food that was subject to cross-contamination at Max’s Pizzeria in Inwood.

The routine violations were noted in a wide range of local establishments. For example, many of these were evidence of food not being protected during storage, display and service. That's the equivalent of not tightly wrapping leftovers in your household refrigerator.

The findings come from routine inspections by various county health departments, which follow up with restaurants that reported critical violations.

Across more than 90,000 food service establishments statewide, the the State Department of Health's Bureau of Community Environmental Health and Food Protection guides county and city health officials who permit and inspect food service establishments, the agency says.

The bureau maintains Part 14 of the New York State Sanitary Code, including subpart 14-1 which regulates food service establishments. See this subsection for specifics on inspections.

You can access the entire list, and past reports, here.

With Joe Dowd