Raw food storage, out-of-date food land Rock Hill restaurant a third C grade this year

A Rock Hill buffet restaurant has another C grade after a state health inspection Tuesday found raw food stored over cooked food and other items kept too long in the kitchen.

Ginza Buffet scored a 74 on a 100-point scale. The state health department rates anything lower than a 78 score as a C grade, meaning food safety practices need significant improvement.

The Herald contacted the restaurant Wednesday morning but was unable to speak with an owner or manager about the score.

Ginza Buffet also got a C grade for its March 11 inspection, and for a separate one the following day. The most recent score prior to Tuesday’s inspection was a perfect 100, A grade, on March 15.

The health department scoring system takes into account a history of violations. That’s why Ginza got a C for its March 12 follow-up despite earning 91 points, which normally would be an A grade. The C grade was given due to violations left uncorrected from the day prior.

The most recent score would be a C grade, based on point total, regardless of prior infractions.

Details of the latest restaurant inspection

This week’s inspection found raw shrimp stored over cooked crab in a cook line and a dish machine without sanitizer. Foods from rice to beef to chicken weren’t kept hot or cold enough, according to state requirements . Those items included some raw foods on the sushi line.

The inspection also noted cut potatoes in a bucket on the floor, to-go containers used as scoops and an employee washing hands in a food prep sink.

The state requires ready-to-eat foods to be discarded after seven days based on a temperature and time combination, or if the packaged isn’t date-marked. Some such foods were still present beyond their discard date.

A follow-up inspection for the 2275 Dave Lyle Blvd. restaurant is required within 10 days.

Ginza now has three of the 10 C grades given to York County restaurants this year. It’s also one of three restaurants with multiple C grades. There have been almost 850 inspections throughout the county.

Lancaster County restaurants combine for five C grades this year, out of almost 260 inspections. There hasn’t been a C grade in Chester County, among 82 inspections there.