TOLEDO, Ohio —
Each week, hundreds of area restaurants get surprise visits from the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.
Whether it's a grocery store, gas station or sit-down restaurant, anywhere that serves fresh or pre-packaged food in Lucas County is fair game.
"If the cooking in the restaurants is really involved — a lot of scratch cooking, a lot of step cooking — we go more often than, let's say, a gas station that is selling pre-packaged food," said TLCHD Public Health Commissioner Karim Baroudi.
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Baroudi says most restaurants get up to four visits a year and that each inspection can take hours.
"From the temperature of the water you're washing your hands in, all the way up to your cold holding, the serving, how you're doing dishes — make sure from A to Z everything is in compliance with what's spelled out in the food code," he said.
Some violations can be fixed on the spot while others require a follow-up inspection.
TLCHD doesn't just inspect for food-related violations, either. It also keeps an eye on building maintenance.
"It's what supports that kitchen. It's the boiler that's conveying hot water into the dish machine or to wash hands. It's the refrigeration. It's the building. It's the plumbing," Baroudi said.
TLCHD is currently working with the owner of Manos Restaurant and Attic on Adams, the former of which is currently closed as it works to reach compliance.
Owner Amelia Jarret says the building at 1701 Adams St. that houses both businesses is more than 40 years old.
The Attic is running on a limited menu due to plumbing-related violations. But with guidance, that could be changing soon.
Jarret provided the following statement to WTOL 11:
"We thank everyone for their patience as we work hard to relaunch Manos Restaurant! It’s an old building, and we’ve faced some challenges, and we are making great headway! We are working hard to bring our tradition back to Adams Street with a refreshing upgrades! We do not have a reopening date for Manos yet, but we are still welcoming guests up in The Attic bar. With our plumbing project completed & plumbing inspection passed, we hope to bring back our full upstairs bar menu very soon.”
If an establishment refuses to work toward compliance, the health commissioner says the department brings it to summons and those businesses can risk losing their license.