Two downtown West Chester restaurants were cited during follow-up health inspections Wednesday, with Chester County inspectors flagging improper food cooling, unsafe fish-thawing practices and a lack of working soap at kitchen handwashing sinks.
King's Garden Restaurant at 308 S. High St. and Kooma Sushi Bar and Lounge at 123 N. Church St. were the only two of nine establishments inspected countywide that day to receive citations, according to inspection results published by MyChesCo.
For Kooma, it marks the second consecutive inspection resulting in violations. The restaurant racked up 17 violations during a June inspection, according to Hello, West Chester.
King's Garden: chicken discarded, no certified manager
Inspectors found fried chicken dated July 21 cooling in a large, deep container inside a walk-in cooler. The chicken measured between 43 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit and was discarded on the spot.
County rules require potentially hazardous food to cool from 135 degrees to 70 degrees within two hours, then reach 41 degrees within four more hours. Thin layers or rapid-cooling methods are required.
Inspectors also observed an employee rinsing a rice scoop without completing the full wash-rinse-sanitize process. Additional citations covered painted ceiling tiles that could not be properly cleaned, unsealed wood blocks supporting a metal table and the absence of an active certified food manager.
The person in charge could not correctly answer food-safety questions during the inspection, according to the report. The county directed another employee to complete a food-manager certification course.
Kooma: fish thawing in vacuum packaging, low sanitizer
At Kooma, inspectors found fish thawing inside unopened vacuum packaging. They directed the restaurant to open the packaging before thawing to allow oxygen to enter, a step that reduces the risk of botulism-causing bacteria.
Prepared sauces held for more than 24 hours lacked preparation or discard dates. Sanitizer in the three-compartment sink measured 150 parts per million, below the manufacturer's required range of 200 to 400 ppm. Staff adjusted the concentration to 200 ppm during the inspection.
Inspectors also found employee medication on the cookline, an uncovered employee beverage in the dishwashing area and insect gel bait placed above food-preparation and storage areas. Several kitchen handwashing sinks lacked working soap dispensers because batteries had failed. Soap was supplied during the inspection.
Context and what's next
No re-inspection dates for King's Garden or Kooma have been publicly scheduled. Both restaurants remain subject to follow-up by the Chester County Health Department.
Other West Chester-area restaurants cited in June have since cleared their follow-ups. Benny's Classic Pizza at 114 N. Church St. passed on July 10, and Michi Sushi at 909 Paoli Pike passed on July 9 with no violations, according to Chester County inspection records.
Residents who became ill after eating at a food establishment can call the Chester County Health Department at 610-344-6225 or file a confidential complaint at chesco.org/5843.
