We just went through the latest listings of food and health inspections by the Grays Harbor County Division of Environmental Health.
Please keep in mind, these reports are just being made public, and most establishments have most likely already corrected most issues that they faced. This is all the information we are provided with, so please do not ask much more as far as what the violations were for, etc... For more information, you can contact the Grays Harbor County Division of Environmental Health at (360) 249-4222 or
Before making a judgment on any violations, we encourage our readers to follow up with and check out the actual violations.
Below is listed any restaurants and their violations for any that have exceeded 25 red points during the time period we searched.
Ocean Shores IGA-
Several food safety issues were identified and corrected during the inspection:
- Tomatoes were sliced before being washed; affected product was discarded and staff reminded to wash produce prior to preparation.
• Raw meats were stored improperly in a refrigerator (chicken and pork placed above other items); items were reorganized to prevent cross-contamination.
• Frozen clam chowder was placed directly into a warmer and did not reach safe reheating temperature quickly enough; food was reconditioned to meet temperature requirements.
Additional notes:
• A personal cell phone was found on a food preparation knife; knife was properly cleaned and sanitized.
• One container of sliced turkey was missing a date label; all other items were correctly marked.
• Reminder provided to properly store and clean in-use utensils.
• Walk-in refrigerator condenser is scheduled for replacement; no temperature concerns observed at the time of inspection.
Beach Treasures Coffee and Gifts -
Several food safety and compliance issues were identified during the inspection:
- An employee was working without a valid Washington State Food Worker Card.
• Produce (strawberries and blueberries) was being washed without an approved food preparation sink; establishment must install an approved prep sink before washing produce.
• Milk and other temperature-controlled beverages were stored at 44–45°F; items must be held at 41°F or below and the refrigerator will be serviced.
• New breakfast items were added to the menu using unapproved equipment (hot case, countertop oven, crockpot); plans must be submitted and breakfast service must stop until approved.
Additional notes:
• Sanitizer concentration was too high and must be adjusted to proper levels.
• Ice scoop must be stored in a clean, washable container rather than on a wooden shelf.
SUPER MART #19 (C&T Food Mart) -
Multiple food safety and compliance concerns were identified during the inspection:
- The Person-In-Charge did not demonstrate adequate control of key food safety risk factors.
• Paper towels were missing at a required handwashing sink but were restocked during the inspection.
• Several hot food items (chicken dishes) were held below the required 135°F and were discarded; reheating procedures were reviewed to maintain safe temperatures.
• Facility changes were made without approval, including reduced accessibility to a required kitchen hand sink; updated plans must be submitted for review.
Additional notes:
• A compliance plan will be developed to address facility upgrades, including installation of an accessible kitchen hand sink and restroom door improvements.
• Ice machine requires cleaning and sanitizing due to visible buildup; ice handling procedures must prevent contamination.
• Some food items were improperly stored (raw meats above ready-to-eat foods) and were reorganized to prevent cross-contamination.
• Utensils must be stored in clean, food-grade containers and sanitized regularly.
• Certain prepackaged food items must not be sold individually due to labeling requirements.
• Test strips must be available to verify proper sanitizer concentration.
• Exterior signage still reflects the previous owner and will be updated.
About The Inspections
These establishments include restaurants, food and espresso carts, coffee places, delis, the fresh food sections in grocery stores, temporary events where food is sold, and more.
There are nearly 500 permitted food service establishments in Grays Harbor County. The majority of these establishments have two unannounced inspections per year. Some food service establishments will receive at least one unannounced inspection annually and any restaurant may request a special educational session.
The purpose of the inspections is to assure that the food is being handled properly from preparation through serving. Inspectors observe kitchen workers' food handling practices, assure equipment is working properly, take food temperatures, inspect refrigerators and storage areas, assure water temperatures, and correct level and use of sanitizers. Any problem found is written up, and the manager is taught the correct procedure or method immediately.
There are two types of violations recorded on the inspection report.
"Red critical violations" are those food handling practices that, when not done properly, are most likely to lead to food borne illnesses. These food handling practices include:
- controlling temperature, such as cooking meats to the right temperature to kill food borne disease germs, keeping food hot enough until it is served, and keeping food cold enough
- cooling food properly, washing hands, and using utensils instead of bare hands on "ready to eat" food
- storing food
- serving practices
"Blue violations" are primarily maintenance and sanitation issues that are not likely to be the cause of a food borne illness.
Each violation has a numerical value based on its risk of foodborne illness. Therefore, there are more points given for red critical violations than for blue violations. Whenever possible, violations found during the inspection are corrected immediately. Red critical items found during the inspection must be corrected immediately. Examples would be re-heating a food to 165° F, putting it into the refrigerator or discarding the food.