Walter’s Soul Food Café in south Atlanta saw its exemplary health score plummet to a 42/U after a routine inspection last week.

It was enough to make owner Christine Chambers want to cry.

“It was heartbreaking. I just wanted to cry with that rating,” said Chambers who manages the restaurant at 394 Cleveland Avenue. “I felt bad for my customers.”

Chambers said the inspector showed up at the worst possible time. The restaurant had just opened for lunch, customers were lined up at the front door, and there were two truck shipments of groceries to be unloaded at the back door.

Chambers said she thought some code violations were marked unfairly. For example, date markings on refrigerated items were overlooked by the inspector. A missing food thermometer was later found. An employee washed their hands in the wrong sink.

“I thought it was unfair,” Chambers said. “We’ve been in business for 22 years and never had any problems. I felt like she was strict on everything.”

Among other violations, some foods in the prep area were out of temperature. Some refrigerated items were not properly separated. There were dented cans in a storage room. And a cutting board needed replacing.

Walter’s Soul Food Café will be re-inspected, and Chamber says the restaurant will be ready.

“I guarantee you it will be a 100 the next time she comes,” Chambers said. The restaurant’s previous score was a 98/A.

Here are other recent inspection scores from area restaurants.

Cherokee County

• Ipp’s Pastaria, 8496 Main St., Woodstock. 85/B
• Magnolia Thomas Restaurant, 108 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock. 89/B
• Vingenzo’s, 105 E. Main St., Woodstock. 95/A
• Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q, 1600 Marietta Highway, Canton. 93/A
• Winchester Woodfire Grill, 110 Mountain Vista Blvd., Canton. 90/A

DeKalb County

• Café Duy Long, 5150 Buford Highway, Doraville. 89/B
• Cakes & Ale, 155 Sycamore St., Decatur. 86/B
• Desta Ethiopian Kitchen, 3086 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta. 88/B
• Mai Thai Restaurant, 4394 Hugh Howell Road, Tucker. 91/A
• Matthews Cafeteria, 2299 Main St., Tucker. 83/B

Fulton County

• Marlee’s Coffee & Tea House, 349 Decatur St., Atlanta. 94/A
• Ray’s on the River, 6700 Powers Ferry Road, Sandy Springs. 97/A
• Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 3285 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 100/A
• Watershed on Peachtree, 1820 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 96/A
• West Egg Café, 1100 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 97/A

Gwinnett County

• Cheeseburger Bobby’s, 6050 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross. 100/A
• El Ranchero Grill & Bar, 534 Athens Highway, Loganville. 91/A
• Steak ‘n Shake, 1610 Scenic Highway, Snellville. 96/A
• Sugar Hill Bakery & Café, 4969 W. Broad St., Sugar Hill. 92/A
• Sunshine Chinese Restaurant, 525 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suwanee. 74/C

Henry County

• Bass BBQ, 1530 Hudson Bridge Road, Stockbridge. 74/C
• Cotton Pickin Chicken, 3550 Walt Stephens Road, Stockbridge. 91/A
• Empire of China, 299 Jonesboro Road, McDonough. 78/C
• Mema’s Kitchen, 495 Santa Fe Trail, Ellenwood. 91/A
• RuChDa Wings, 1465 Hudson Bridge Road, Stockbridge. 98/A

– by Laura Berrios for the Food & More blog

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