Restaurant Inspections: Z Pizza and Canton Cafe

The state health department recently inspected a few restaurants in the Springfield area. For prior restaurant inspection reports, click here.

In Virginia, restaurant inspection reports aren't quite as simple as getting a letter grade or an easy-to-see number rating to post in the front window.

That said, we all want to know how our favorite restaurants stack up on cleanliness and sanitation. Inspectors grade restaurants based on critical and non-critical violations.

A "critical violation" is one that "poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served." Non-critical violations are generally related to cleaning or maintenance.

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," according to Virginia Department of Health's website.

The site continues: "Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term cleanliness of an establishment."

Below, find the latest restaurant inspection from the Virginia Department of Health. These inspections reflect visits from inspectors during the last few weeks. Some of the violations were corrected immediately during the recent inspections.

The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

Z Pizza, 6699-B Frontier Dr., Inspection date: July 22

Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.

Critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee was observed eating in an area other than designated break area while preparing/handling food or contacting clean food contact surfaces.

Critical (corrected during inspection): Unwrapped or uncovered food in the following location where the food is subject to contamination: 3dr prep cooler.

Non-critical: There was no temperature measuring device located in the following cold or hot holding equipment: 1dr prep cooler.

Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Unlabeled food containers with the following food items that are not easily identified by appearance: yeast, salt and sugar.

Non-critical: Absence of no-smoking signs or international no-smoking signs in non-smoking area.

Canton Cafe, 6396 Springfield Plz, Inspection date: July 19

Critical: All food items ready-to-eat, raw beef, raw chicken have date markings indicating when prepared.

Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Oranges and soft drink cans in ice which is used is also for beverage ice or used as food.

Non-critical: The 1DR Beverage Air refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41 degrees.

Non-critical: Observed that the light bulb in ladies bathroom is not working, faucet at 3 vat sink leaking.