The Ichiban Buffet scored a terrible 87 B on a February 2, 2021 food safety inspection. The Ichiban Buffet is located at 7201 Albemarle Road Charlotte, NC. Ichiban Buffet employees’ jackets, aprons, and drinks were observed stored on several food prep surfaces. That is a huge ‘no no’ during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Restaurant employees across the United States are required to wash their hands after being involved in activities that contaminate them. But there was not much handwashing observed during Ichiban Buffet’s most recent food safety inspection.
One employee was observed handling dirty dishes and then attempting to proceed to handle clean dishes without washing hands in between. Also employees were seen leaving the kitchen multiple times and not washing their hands when returning to food prep.
Employees were observed donning new gloves without washing their hands prior. Hands must be washed when re-entering the kitchen, putting on new gloves, or handling soiled equipment etc. The inspector had to educate Ichiban employees on proper hands washing. These are repeat violations, a risk control plan will be implemented by the next inspection if the Ichiban Buffet hand washing problem is not improved.
Soap was missing from the hand sink at the entrance of the kitchen. An Ichiban employee was seen touching a trash can while wearing single use gloves and then attempting to continue food prepping without washing their hands, all in front of the inspector. Oh Hell No!! The food safety inspector intervened and instructed the employee to change gloves and wash hands.
There was unwashed produce observed over ready to eat foods in the walk-in cooler. Also raw seafood was seen above ready to eat sauces in the meat walk-in cooler. Cut cabbage, shrimp, and sliced tomatoes not in use were observed sitting on the prep line at unsafe temperatures above 41F.
Several foods in multiple coolers were observed without date marking including cooked chicken wings, crab rangoons, cooked vegetables, cut cabbage, cooked crab meat, hot dogs, etc. The inspector had the manager discard some foods and date the remaining with a proper date.
During the inspection several wet and dirty wiping cloths were on prep counters throughout the kitchen. In-use utensils were observed in direct contact with several buffet foods and containers of food inside coolers.
The following were dirty and in need of more frequent cleaning: sides of equipment, dish machine, inside cold holding units, and several areas in the kitchen. The floor tiles were damaged at the entrance of the kitchen and in the dish area.
