Allan Appel Photo
When fire broke out in an apartment above a Fair Haven grocery, firefighters arrived within five minutes. They heaped huge blue tarps over all Norma Franceschi’s merchandise below, so it would be protected from the fire-suppressing water seeping down.
Then they called the health department for the post-flood, post-fire inspection. City sanitarian Roslyn Hamilton arrived within an hour.
An inspection is required at all food establishments that have experienced a fire or flood—or both, in the case of the stalwart R&M Corner Market at the junction of Main and Castle streets in Fair Haven.
The R&M passed its post-fire inspection with 98 points out of a possible 100.
It was one of 39 food establishments inspected between Sept. 25 and Oct. 1. Of those, 32 passed and seven received a failing mark.
“Fire called health. It’s the law,” Franceschi (pictured at the top of this story) recalled.
City sanitarians inspect all of New Haven’s restaurants, groceries, bars, and all other food-serving establishment between one and four times a year. Establishments that score less than 80 usually have two weeks to make the recommended corrections. The health department can also close a restaurant regardless of its score if the sanitarians suspect an immediate danger to public health.
(Scroll down in this story for specific results from the latest inspections.)
Although not much water ended up seeping down in the grocery last week from the suppression of the small, non-lethal fire started by a child playing with matches, it could have been serious. The fire department’s action may have saved her entire inventory.
In the end, the water only discolored some of the store’s ceiling tiles, although the apartment above is a total loss, Franceschi said.
When sanitarian Roslyn Hamilton arrived, she instructed Franceschi, who has operated the grocery with her husband Guillermo for 28 years, to throw out anything that had been left open and exposed when the building was evacuated.
That included the shredded lettuce, onions, and other items in the stainless steel server that held the toppings for sandwiches, along with the oil for frying food, and even the large bin of sugar for the coffees to go.
Franceschi was happy to do it all. Hamilton advised her, while she was at the task of cleaning, that it is advisable to replace the contact paper on her shelves with a washable outdoor paint, which is far easier to clean.
She did that as well.
“We washed every can, every shelf,” Franceschi said.
Guillermo Franceschi lays down a new floor.
The store was closed for just short of a week. It reopened on Monday with a gleam to the floor and all the fixtures. The only flaws the inspector found were the stained ceiling tile in the kitchen and floors in slight disrepair by the counter. Those were in the process of being repaired amidst a bustling day on Tuesday.
Franceschi was full of praise for Hamilton, fire marshal Faustino Lopez, and all the involved city departments.
The Winners
The following received passing marks:
9/25/2012: Something Sweet, 724 Grand Ave., Score: 88; Miso, 15 Orange St., Score: 80; Something Sweet Inc, 240 Sargent Dr., Score: 87;; Million LLC, 15 Orange St., Score: 81; Davenport (Yale), 240 York St., Score: 85;; Jonathan Edwards (Yale), 197 York, Score: 89; Glen BBQ, 175 Scranton St., Score: 100
9/26/2012: East Rock Lodge #141, 87 Webster St., Score: 84; New Haven YMCA, 52 Howe St., Score: 95; CFC Deli, 157 Church St., Score: 83; Michael’s New Haven Catering, 600 Long Wharf Dr., Score: 84
9/27/2012: Waucoma Yacht Club, 279 Front St., Score: 88; Super Marqueta, 270 Grand Ave., Score: 93; Deja Brew, 763 Edgewood Ave., Score: 81; Edgewood School, 737 Edgewood Ave., Score: 90;; Brazi’s, 201 Food Terminal Plaza, Score: 87;; Parents FDTN, 100 Broadway, Score: 96;; St. Luke’s Church, 111 Whalley Ave., Score: 92;; Bethel AME Church, 654 Orchard St., Score: 89; iparty, 60 Whalley Ave, Score: 100
9/28/2012: Big Green Pizza Truck, 530 East St., Score: 94;; Long Wharf Venture, 200 Sargent Dr., Score: 84; Adriana’s Restaurant, 771 Grand Ave., Score: 81; C.O. Jones, 969 State St., Score: 85;; R & M Corner Market, 39 Castle St., Score: 98
10/1/2012: Barnard School, 170 Derby Ave., Score: 88; Blessings II Go, 898 State St., Score: 85;; P&M Orange St., 721 Orange St., Score: 88;; Subway, 66 York St., Score: 97;; Ziggy’s, 36 E. Grand Ave., Score: 89; New China, 227 Farren Ave., Score: 92; Guadalupe La Poblanita, 136 Chapel St., Score: 96
7 Need Improvement
During the Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 period, the following seven failed their inspections and were asked to make improvements within two weeks or as soon as possible:
Roly Poly
129 Church St.
Score: 76
• Store wipe cloths in sanitary solutions
• No drinking from an open (uncovered) drink container in food prep area
• Keep front door closed or install screen
• Touch up defective flooring, clean floors under and around equipment
• Invert single serve containers, hollow straws on bar not protected
• Label products not in original containers
• Don’t store food or drink on the floor
• Hang up mops and brooms
• Hair restraints
• Don’t use a cup as a scoop in food product
• Seal floor/wall junction
• Fix and clean defective gaskets on doors
• Touch up window sills, clean vents, wipe wallboard
• Refill soap dispenser at front hand sink
• Wipe shelves, wipe inside cabinets, wipe exterior of equipment
• Wipe inside drink cooler, clean racks in coolers for soda and juices
• Use soap when washing hands, don’t just rinse
• Touch up radiator cover
• Before putting on a new pair of gloves, employees must follow proper hand washing
La Cayeyana Donis Bakery
188 Lamberton St.
Score: 64
• Seal gaps on exterior openings, store wipe cloths in sanitary solution
• Fix defective flooring, clean floors under and around equipment
• Touch up defective exterior on equipment, wipe exterior of equipment
• Fix defective walls, clean walls, fix defective window pane
• Touch up shelves, clean shelves, don’t wrap shelves in tin foil
• Clean interior of coolers and freezers, microwave, and hot box
• Need thermometers in warmest location in coolers holding prepared hot foods
• Don’t store food or drink on the floor
• Missing light shields, don’t store raw eggs over ready to eat foods
• Fix defective ceiling tiles, clean ceiling tiles, clean fan covers
• Fix and clean defective gaskets on doors
• Don’t line shelves inside cooler or freezer with cardboard
• Refill paper towel at hand sink, refill hand soap at hand sink
• Hair restraints
• Don’t wrap equipment with tin foil, fix defective glass on cooler door
• Clean baffles on hood system, clean tracks on slide doors
• Seal floor/wall junctions
• Fix defective top on food bins
• Hang up mops and brooms
• Clean air vents, replace missing ceiling tiles in areas
• Label products not in original containers
• Empty mop with bucket when done with it
• Keep hot foods at more than 140 degrees
• Insects present
• Don’t use hand sink for any other purpose but hand washing
• Don’t store toxic items (medicines) with food products
• Need self-closing door in bathroom
• Touch up defective building structure (door jambs, etc)
• Cover exposed food products
• Invert single serve containers
Dunkin Donuts
200 Sargent Dr.
Score: 76
• Clean tracks on side doors, fix and clean defective exterior on equipment
• Fix defective flooring, clean floors under and around equipment
• Invert single serve egg trays
• Clean air vents, touch up ceiling (garage), fix defective wallboard junctions
• Label products not in original containers
• Fix and clean defective gaskets on doors
• Fix defective laminate on equipment
• Cover exposed food products, need light shields on exposed bulbs
• Touch up and clean shelves
• Store wipe cloths in sanitary solution
• Fix leak at hand sink faucet, wipe wallboard
• Move thermometer to warmest location in coolers holding prepared hot foods
• Before putting on a new pair of gloves, employees must follow proper hand washing procedure
• Wipe and touch up shelves inside display case, clean inside coolers and freezers
• Don’t use a cup as a scoop in food products
• Hang up mops and brooms, touch up defective building structure
• Seal floor/wall junctions
Gloria’s Grocery
607 East Street
Score: 70
• Fix defective flooring, clean floors under and around equipment, fix defective wall tiles
• Fix defective screen on rear door, if door kept open, need screen
• Fix defective ceiling, clean walls and install wall covers
• Label products not in original containers
• Don’t use a bowl as a scoop in food products
• Don’t store raw eggs over ready to eat foods
• Thermometer to warmest location in coolers holding prepared hot foods
• Store wipe cloths in sanitary solution, need paper towels at hand sink
• Fix self-closing door on bathroom, need covered can for female hygiene products
• Hang up mops and brooms
• Don’t wrap equipment with tin foil, don’t use hand sink for any other purpose but hand washing
• Clean tracks on slide cooler doors
• Touch up and wipe shelves
• Clean interiors of coolers and freezers, clean soda and juice racks in coolers
• Don’t line shelves with card board, clean air conditioning cover
• Use approved methods to defrost products
• Touch up exterior on equipment, wipe exterior of equipment
• Follow label instructions in products that have “refrigerate after opening”
• Invert single serve containers
Rice Pot Thai Cuisine
1027 State St.
Score: 72
• Hair restraints
• Fix and clean defective wall board, clean ceilings and air vents
• Store wipe cloths in sanitary solution
• Clean can opener blade, holder, clean inside cooler, freezers
• Don’t wrap grill with tin foil
• Fix and wipe defective shelves, don’t line with tin foil
• Cover exposed food products, don’t store raw eggs next to ready to eat foods
• Label products not in original containers
• Clean baffles in hood system
• Fix and clean defective exterior of equipment
• Clean exhaust fan cover
• Use approved method to defrost product
• Fix and clean defective gaskets on doors
• Don’t store raw eggs over ready to eat foods
• Hang up mops and brooms
• Clean carpet on stairs, seal floor/wall junctions
• Lower hot water in bathroom to in between 110 and 115 degrees
• Pre-set tables with exposed utensils and glasses
• Clean tracks on slide doors
• Don’t line interior of cooler with cardboard
• Need soap and paper towel at hand sink
• Fix defective window frame
• If food is prepared in basement area, a hand sink must be installed
Elm City Seafood & Grill
157 Hamilton St.
Score: 69
• Touch up defective walls, wall junctions, wipe window sills
• Fix and clean defective flooring, clean under and around equipment
• Fix defective ceiling, window pane, eliminate sharp edges of counter
• Invert single serve containers
• Refill paper towel dispenser in front area
• Wipe inside cooler and freezer
• Don’t store raw eggs over ready to eat food
• Touch up and clean defective shelves
• Hang up mops and brooms
• Clean gaskets on doors, wipe and touch up defective exterior on equipment
• Seal gaps in exterior doors
• Don’t store toxic items with food products, label toxic items in spray bottles
• Store wipe cloths in sanitary solutions
• Hair restraints, replace defective strainer
• Store utensils in a sanitary manner
• Raise hot water temperature at hand sink to minimum 110 degrees
• Seal floor/wall junctions
• Employees must follow proper hand washing procedures, don’t rinse hand, without soap, in 3-bay sink, before putting on a new pair of gloves.
• Label products not in original containers
Tortilleria La Michoacana
656 Grand Ave
Score: 66
• If doors kept open, need screens
• Label products not in original containers
• Fix and clean defective door gaskets, fix defective exterior of equipment, clean baffles on hood system
• Wipe inside cooler and freezers, touch up defective interior of cooler
• Fix and clean defective flooring under and around equipment
• Clean metal wall behind grill, touch up defective walls
• Fix defective shelves, wipe shelves, clean tracks on slide doors
• Store wipe cloths in sanitary solution, fix defective building structure
• Touch up shelves inside cooler
• Don’t store food or drink on the floor, need light shields on exposed bulbs
• Clean air vents, fix defective ceiling, fix defective window pane
• Refill soap and paper towel at hand sinks
• Clean soda and juice racks in cooler, clean inside beer cooler
• Fix defective floor/wall unction
• Clean fan blades,, fix defective glass in door, fix defective wall board junction
• Clean fan cover over tortilla machine
• Secure hand sink firmly to wall in bathroom, fix defective ceiling
• Don’t use hand sink for any other purpose but hand washing
• Hang up mops and brooms, hair restraints
• Fix vent in bathrooms
• Don’t store toxic items with food products, label toxic items in spray bottles
• Eliminate fruit flies at front bar, no drinking from an open container in food prep area
• Remove all unusual/unnecessary items from establishment
• Need “No Smoke Signs” on entrances