By CU-CitizenAccess.org staff

Twenty-one restaurants in Champaign County failed health inspections in the last six months, with critical violations ranging from improper storage of food to employees failing to wash their hands.

Six were temporarily shut down.

For example, one restaurant, China King, located at 2145 Neil St. in Champaign, was closed down on Jan. 25th with an adjusted score of -3 and nine critical violations including raw meat and dumplings stored at improper temperatures, the mingling of employee food with customer food and an employee washing hands in the vegetable sink.

Restaurants fail if they score 35 or below. If they score below zero they are automatically closed down. Restaurants with a failing score upon reinspection are also closed down.

China King was re-inspected on Jan. 29 and scored 32 and remained closed down. It had two critical violations including a lack of functioning air current to outside door to prevent pests and insects from entering kitchen. On its re-inspection on Feb. 1, China King scored 77 and was allowed to reopen.

Other closures include El Charro Mexican Grocery Store, 55 E. Green St., Champaign, which was closed on Sept. 26 with an adjusted score of 6 due to seven critical violations including large amounts of gnats and flies, employees observed who didn’t wash their hands and dried pork skin that was directly touching the floor.

The facility was reinspected on Oct. 4 and allowed to reopen.

Cravings at 603 S. Wright St., Champaign, was shut down on Feb. 4 with an adjusted score of 2 and nine critical violations including 10 tubs of cooked chicken and beef that were out of temperature. It was closed down for repeatedly failing its health inspections. On Feb. 8, the restaurant scored 77 and was allowed to reopen.

Rich’s Family Restaurant, 305 W. Ellen St., in Ogden was closed on Jan. 11 with an adjusted score of 24 and five critical violations including pork chops and turkey that were stored at incorrect temperatures.The restaurant was inspected in December with an adjusted score of 7 and nine critical violations, including raw chicken juice that dripped into uncovered bins of batter, salt and flour and no employees were observed washing their hands during the inspection.

The restaurant was inspected again on Jan. 12 and allowed to reopen with an adjusted score of 89.

Xinh Xinh Cafe, 114 N. Vine St., Urbana, was closed down on Dec. 3 with an adjusted score of -3 and nine critical violations, including a pork chop covered with slime at the bottom of a reach-in cooler, stock pots of pho left out overnight and employees not washing their hands when they come to work.

The restaurant was allowed to reopen on Dec. 5 with an adjusted score of 93.

It was last inspected on Oct. 31 with a failing score of 21 and six critical violations including chicken and beef out of safe temperature ranges.

Chinatown Buffet, 713 Marketview Dr., Champaign, was closed on Oct. 4 for repeated failing its health inspections due to an adjusted score of 21 and seven critical violations including two tubs of chicken at unsafe temperatures, grill food on the buffet line out of safe temperatures and crab on the buffet line out of safe temperatures.

The restaurant was reinspected on Oct. 5 with a score of 86 and allowed to reopen.

CU-Citizen Access began publishing scores and information on health inspections in September 2011 as public health officials have grappled with how to make them public. Many other communities in Illinois and nationally make them public through newspapers and online Web sites or have the restaurants post their ratings on site.

Last summer, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District began posting a list of all the restaurants and food establishments it inspected online. The list includes the result of the inspection, such as “general compliance” or “reinspection required.” It does not clearly say whether a restaurant has failed. Instead, it says “reinspection required” if it failed or “suspended” if closed.

Health officials are now drafting new ordinances requiring food establishments and restaurants to post a color-coded placard that indicates the result of the inspection (see related story).

In the CU-CitizenAccess analysis of nearly 2,200 inspection records between September 2011 and February 2013 showed that the average adjusted score is 72.4.

Just over one in five health inspection reports had scores of 90 or higher.

Noted below are the score and number of critical violations of the restaurants and food establishments that failed health inspections between September 2012 and February 2013. Restaurants with adjusted scores 36 or above are considered passing. At four or 5, critical violations are scored higher because of the potential health impact they have on customers.

The score is also dependent on the amount of non-critical violations, which can range from one point to two.

The total amount of points are deducted from a score of 100, with additional points taken off for the number of critical violations as well as the number of repeat violations.

Arby’s, 760 W. Champaign Ave., Rantoul:

Inspected on Nov. 7 with an adjusted score of 31 and six critical violations including a pan of potato squares out of temperature and no hot water at the vegetable preparation sink. The restaurant was reinspected on Dec. 10 with an adjusted score of 48.

Atlanta Bread Company, 1905 S. Neil St., Champaign:

Inspected on Jan. 22 with an adjusted score of 16 and five critical violations including cooked pasta and chicken left overnight in draws under the stove; numerous employees observed putting on or changing gloves without washing hands; and a hand sink in the kitchen that did not have cold water. Re-inspection within 30 days is required.

Buzzard’s Fine Dining & Other Things, 111 S. Third St., Fisher:

Inspected on Dec. 13 with an adjusted score of 6 and nine critical violations including two large pans of sausage gravy out of temperature and an ashtray with ashes and cigarette butts on a clean drainboard. The restaurant was reinspected on Jan. 11 with an adjusted score of 82.

China King, 2145 Neil St., Champaign:

Inspected on Jan. 25 with an adjusted score of -3 and nine critical violations including raw meat and dumplings stored at improper temperatures, the mingling of employee food with customer food and an employee washing hands in vegetable sink. The restaurant was closed down. The restaurant was re-inspected on Jan. 29 with an adjusted score of 32 and remained closed down. Two critical violations included a lack of functioning air current to outside door to prevent pests and insects from entering kitchen. On its re-inspection on Feb. 1, China King scored 77 and was allowed to reopen.

China King, 205 E. Warren, St. Joseph:

Inspected on Dec. 3 with an adjusted score of 16 and four critical violations including cook fried chicken sitting out on a counter. The restaurant was reinspected on Jan.7 with an adjusted score of 86.

Chinatown Buffet, 713 Marketview Dr., Champaign:

Inspected on Oct. 4 with an adjusted score of 21 and seven critical violations including two tubs of chicken at unsafe temperatures, grill food on the buffet line out of safe temperatures and crab on the buffet line out of safe temperatures. It was closed down for repeatedly failing health inspections. The restaurant was reinspected on Oct. 5 with a score of 86 and allowed to reopen.

Cravings, 603 S. Wright St., Champaign:

Inspected on Feb. 4 with an adjusted score of 2 and nine critical violations including 10 tubs of cooked chicken and beef that were out of temperature. The restaurant was closed down for repeatedly failing health inspections. It scored a 77 on Feb. 8 and allowed to reopen.

Dos Reales, 1407 N. Prospect Ave., Champaign:

Inspected on Nov. 15 with an adjusted score of 19 and six critical violations including live German cockroaches in the facility and a hand sink that was not working. The restaurant was reinspected on Dec. 17 with an adjusted score of 44.

Eastland Suites, 1907 N. Cunningham, Urbana:

Inspected on Nov. 15 with an adjusted score of 20 and five critical violations including salsa out of safe temperatures and chemicals stored with food. It was reinspected on Dec. 17 with an adjusted score of 52.

El Charro Mexican Grocery, 55 E. Green St., Champaign:

Inspected on Sept. 26 with an adjusted score of 6 and seven critical violations including large amounts of gnats and flies, employees observed who didn’t wash their hands and dried pork skin that was directly touching the floor. It was closed down. The facility was reinspected on Oct. 4 with an adjusted score of 72 and allowed to reopen.

Fat City Bar & Grill, 505 S. Chestnut St., Champaign:

Inspected on Nov. 19 with an adjusted score of 19 and five critical violations including repackaged lunch meat and a pan of salsa not dated with a seven-date marking and an employee observed not washing hands before putting on gloves. The facility was reinspected on Dec. 19 with an adjusted score of 93.

Garcia’s Pizza in a Pan, 313 N. Mattis Ave., Champaign:

Inspected on Oct. 10 with an adjusted score of 27 and five critical violations including food out of safe temperature ranges. It was reinspected on Nov. 15 with an adjusted score of 67.

Golden Wok, 405 E. University Ave., Champaign:

Inspected on Feb. 4 with an adjusted score of 23 and five critical violations including spoiled beef, cooked chicken and beef out of safe temperatures; and employee hand washing sink used as a dump sink. Re-inspection within 30 days is required.

Home Run Food and Liquor, 1509 E. Washington St., Urbana:

Inspected on Feb. 5 with an adjusted score of 28 and five critical violations including milk, eggs and sour cream out of safe temperatures; no hand washing observed during inspection and no soap available; and no sanitizer was present to sanitize utensils and equipment. Re-inspection within 30 days is required.

Hometown Bar and Grill, 4 E. Holden St., Tolono

Inspected on Oct. 30 with an adjusted score of 12 and eight critical violations including food out of safe temperatures and a bunch of raw eggs cracked and stored next to intact eggs. Reinspected on Nov. 27 with an adjusted score of 63.

JT Walkers, 401 E. Main St., Mahomet:

Inspected on Dec. 11 with an adjusted score of 28 and four critical violations including leftover soup that was out of safe temperatures and an employee who did not wash hands before putting on gloves. The restaurant was reinspected on Jan. 10 with an adjusted score of 61.

La Fiesta Latina, 1717 S. Philo Road, Urbana:

Inspected on Dec. 7 with an adjusted score of 32 and five critical violations including potentially hazardous food out of safe temperatures and employee who did not wash hands before putting on gloves. The restaurant was reinspected on Jan. 8 with an adjusted score of 48.

Rich’s Family Restaurant, 305 W. Ellen St., Ogden :

The restaurant was inspected in December with a score of 7 and nine critical violations, including raw chicken juice that dripped into uncovered bins of batter, salt and flour as well as no employees observed washing their hands during the inspection. Because it failed its December inspection, the restaurant was closed on Jan. 11 with an adjusted score of 24 and five critical violations including pork chops and turkey that were out of temperature. The restaurant was inspected again on Jan. 12 and allowed to reopen with a score of 89.

Ruby Tuesday, 2301 N. Propsect Ave., Champaign

Inspected on Nov. 5 with an adjusted score of 28 and five critical violations including several potentially hazardous foods out of safe temperature ranges and employees who began prep work without first washing their hands. The restaurant was reinspected on Dec. 5 with an adjusted score of 44.

Sushi Kame, 132 W. Church St., Champaign:

Inspected on Jan. 24 with a score of 10. Six critical violations included: Sushi rice at two different locations with temperatures between 70 degrees and 72 degrees – neither kept below the required 41 degrees or above the 135 degrees; employees were not washing their hands; and dishes were not sanitized. The restaurant was re-inspected on Feb. 27 with a score of 40.

Xinh Xinh Cafe, 114 N. Vine St., Urbana

Closed down on Dec. 3 with an adjusted score of -3 and nine critical violations, including a pork chop covered with slime at the bottom of a reach-in cooler, stock pots of pho left out overnight and employees not washing their hands when they came to work. The restaurant was allowed to reopen on Dec. 5 with an adjusted score of 93.

About this story:

For the past five years, Champaign Urbana Public Health District officials have discussed ways to best publicize restaurant inspections.

Health inspection reports of restaurants and food facilities are available by request from the health department. In June, the health department also began posting a monthly list of all inspected food facilities and the current status.

In 2011, CU-CitizenAccess.org began posting full inspection reports of all restaurants that failed routine health inspections since 2008.

As a service, we continue to post the full reports of failed health inspections as part of our searchable, interactive map.

On the health department’s new online report system restaurant health permits labeled “general compliance” have received a passing 36 percent or higher. Restaurant health permits labeled “re-inspection” received scores below 36. Restaurant health permits labeled “suspended” were automatically shut down for scores below 0. Restaurant health permits labeled “inactive” means that the restaurant owner voluntarily closed down the restaurant.