Blame it on the flu season.

Experienced employees at Maritza & Frank’s Restaurant, 637 N. Central Ave., Hapeville, were out sick with colds and the flu on the same day a Fulton County health inspector showed up for a routine inspection.

It didn’t go well and the restaurant scored a 38/U.

“The cook was sick so we sent him home, everyone was sick. We had one new person who didn’t know how to do everything yet, and that was the problem,” said Rose Campbell, the restaurant’s certified food safety manager, who was also out sick with the flu that day.

The inspector noted that employees were wiping their hands on aprons, instead of washing them, and eating in the food prep area. And points were taken off because the substitute cook prepared a sandwich with bare hands. It was discarded.

In addition, gravy and raw fish were left out on a counter, instead of being held at the proper temperatures. And foods were left on the counter uncovered.

In other violations, raw meats were not properly separated in the freezer or cooler. Leftover food was not dated for expiration. There was no working thermometer in the cooler. Slime buildup was on the soda dispensing nozzles, and on the wall at the dish washer. And one of the refrigerators had a water leak.

The restaurant will be re-inspected. Previous scores are 83/B and 86/B.

“We’re always ready [for an inspection], but that day everyone was sick, and then boom,” Campbell said.

Here are other recent inspection scores from area restaurants.

Cobb County

• Lucia’s Italian Restaurant, 4705 Woodstock Road, Roswell. 100/A
• Lupita’s Mexican Grille, 4796 Canton Road, Marietta. 96/A
• Montana’s Bar & Grill, 2995 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta. 86/B
• Shivam Chaat Corner, 1826 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta. 91/A
• Sushinobo in Vinings, 4500 W. Village Place, Smyrna. 100/A

DeKalb County

• Aldo’s Italian Restaurant, 4450 Hugh Howell Road, Tucker. 91/A
• Applebee’s, 4353 Lawrenceville Highway, Tucker. 88/B
• Smokey Bones, 2930 Stonecrest Circle, Lithonia. 83/B
• Trackside Tavern, 313 E. College Ave., Decatur. 83/B
• Wonder Wok, 3365 Glenwood Road, Decatur. 91/A

Fayette County

• Burrito Brothers, 22 Carriage Oaks Drive, Tyrone. 94/A
• Chapultepec Mexican Grill, 1522 Highway 74, Tyrone. 87/B
• Sushi Tomi, 286 Highway 74, Peachtree City. 86/B
• Tour de Italy, 1240 Highway 54, Fayetteville. 98/A
• Zaxby’s, 201 Worth Court, Peachtree City. 87/B

Fulton County

• Alessio’s Restaurant & Pizzeria, 3005 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek. 90/A
• American Deli, 2740 Greenbriar Parkway, Atlanta. 94/A
• Gekko Sushi & Lounge, 620 Glen Iris Drive, Atlanta. 89/B
• P.F. Chang’s, 7925 N. Point Parkway, Alpharetta. 96/A
• Thai Heaven, 1155 Virginia Ave., Hapeville. 77/C

Gwinnett County

• East Pearl Seafood, 1810 Liddell Lane, Duluth. 87/B
• El Patio, 193 N. Norcross Tucker Road, Norcross. 70/C
• Mirko Pasta, 3265 Sardis Church Road, Buford. 92/A
• Provino’s, 2250 E. Main St., Snellville. 100/A
• Thai Bowl & Hibachi, 3429 Lawrenceville Suwanee Road, Suwanee. 96/A

– by Laura Berrios for the Food & More blog

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