Who's Been Busted for Food Safety Violations

Advance Indiana's Gary Welsh has being a bang up job lately as a cub-food reporter. Today, he points us to links from WTHR's report on food safety in the wake of the Olive Garden Norovirus outbreak. And doing the dirty work we couldn't do -- namely digging through the inspection reports at health departments for 9 counties, Channel 13 lists the worst offenders when it comes to critical citations in 2006. Top of the list in Marion County? No surprise -- Sushi on the Rocks on South Meridian with 41 critical violations! In other words, 41 violations that could directly result in a customer getting sick. (They hold the award in my book for first and only place where I sent sushi back because the fish was off. Most sushi chefs would be mortified if a customer sent back bad fish. This one (so reported the server) was only hesitant to remake my roll because he was afraid I "wouldn't like this one either.") With lists like these, it's no surprise when doctors tell us that the vast majority of "stomach flu" or "24-hour viruses" are actually food-borne illnesses.

Channel 13 also offers this list of Health Department offenders by county including ranking and number of critical and non-critical violations and number of inspections in the past year. Some highlights:

Marion Country:

1 Sushi on the Rocks, 41 critical violations, 91 non-critical violations, 235 S Meridian St
2 Mexico City Grill, 25 critical violations, 22 non-critical violations, 8028 S Emerson Ave
3 Tropicana, 24 critical violations, 22 non-critical violations, 6447 W Washington St
4 (tie) Great China Buffet, 23 critical violations, 46 non-critical, 6332 E 82nd St
4 (tie) Pollo Allegre, 23 critical, 35 non-critical, 3804 English Ave
5 (tie) La Hacienda, 19 critical, 48 non-critical, 6429 E Washington St
5 (tie) El Rodeo #5, 19 critical, 45 non-critical, 2606 N High School Rd
5 (tie) Peking Wok, 19 critical, 41 non-critical, 3315 E 86th St
5 (tie) 8 China Buffet, 19 critical, 31 non-critical, 5393 E 82nd St
5 (tie) Uncle Arties Bar-B-Q, 19 critical, 23 non-critical, 4851 N College Ave
5 (tie) Cici's Pizza, 19 critical, 23 non-critical, 9982 E Washington St

In Hamilton County, RAM Brewery, Bella Vita, Barley Island Brewing Company, and the ever popular J. Weg's Delicatessen on College were among the most cited. In Hendrick's Country, among the top offenders were Buffalo Wild Wings in Plainfield, Thai One On in Avon, and Boulder Creek Dining Co. in Brownsburg.