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Fifth health inspection failure threatens food service permit of Campustown restaurant

Submitted by pdempsey on Fri, 2012-06-29 21:23

Pam G. Dempsey/CU-CitizenAccess -- Five restaurants failed their health inspections between March and May of this year.

For Geovanti’s Bar and Grill, 401 E. Green St. in Urbana, it was the fifth failure in a row and one that netted the restaurant an immediate suspension.

The restaurant scored an “8” on a routine inspection on March 13. Scores below 35 are considered failing and scores below 0 warrant an immediate closure until the health code violations are corrected.

The restaurant had to meet several requirements for re-instatement, “because your establishment’s performances during routine inspections have demonstrated a lack of day-to-day basis managerial control of violations associated with foodborne illness,” according to a March 19 letter to owner Anthony Donato from the public health district. (Read letters and March 13 inspection report, March 23 inspection report)

Those requirements include additional staff certified in food service sanitation, developing a basic food safety system and restricting the menu to match the equipment in the facility. The staff was thawing frozen chicken in the sink that was intended for dishwashing.

The restaurant was re-inspected on March 23 and received a score of "87"; subsequently, its permit was re-instated and the restaurant was allowed to operate.

The Bangkok Thai Restaurant at 1333 Savoy Plaze in Savoy scored a "24" on its April 16 health inspection.

During the inspection, critical violations were either corrected or in the process of being corrected and the restaurant was not required to close. It was set for a re-inspection.

But during a re-inspection on May 15, the restaurant scored a "-25" and its health permit was suspended, meaning the restaurant could not serve food.

It was re-inspected on May 18 and scored a "79", at which time its health permit was reinstated and it was allowed to serve food. (Read letters )

Another Savoy restaurant, Star Karoke, located at 1503 Lyndhur Street Alley received a "-6" on its April 18 inspection and was immediately closed. After the restaurant scored a "50" on its re-inspection, it was allowed to reopen on April 19. (Read letters)

The Courier Café, located at 111 N. Race St. in Urbana was shut down on March 26 for an inspection score of "-17" for violations that include employees observed not washing hands before and between glove use or between tasks and foods stored at warmer temperatures than mandated by code. The restaurant was allowed to reopen on March 27 after an inspection score of "79". (Read letters)

Woori Jib, located at 710 S. Sixth St. in Champaign, was closed on April 24 after the restaurant scored a "-3" on its inspection report. It subsequently scored a "91" on the May 3 re-inspection. (Read letter)

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