Restaurant Inspections: Subway and Chipotle

From Nov. 10-27, three restaurants in Greater Alexandria were inspected by the Virginia Department of Health. 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.

Rosita’s Restaurant Deli & Carryout
6510 Richmond Highway
Date of inspection: Nov. 27
No violations were found during the inspection. Prior violations were corrected before the recent inspection.

Subway
5601-D General Washington Dr.
Date of inspection: Nov. 27
No violations were found during the inspection.

Chipotle Mexican Grill
6770 Richmond Highway
Date of inspection: Nov. 15
Critical (corrected during inspection): Food items were found hot holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: black beans, pinto beans and diced chicken on serve line.
Non-critical: Water from the handwashing sink located by the office was measured at a temperature less than 100 degrees.