Montgomery County restaurants cited for health violations

Health inspectors in Montgomery County rarely order eateries to close, but they do dole out plenty of citations and threaten to issue $315 fines if a business doesn't address sanitation concerns.

So the staff here at Clean Plates will use the number of violations to determine which businesses get the dubious honor of a mention. We'll also look for well-known names. And, if one is cited for more than a dozen questionable health practices, we'll include it in our monthly roundup. This month, Bryn & Danes, Magerks, and the Merion Cricket Club were among the most cited.

Every inspection is generally regarded as a "snapshot in time," and not necessarily a reflection of day-to-day conditions.  Most violations were fixed immediately on site in the presence of an inspector.

This story marks Clean Plates' first foray into the most populous county in the Philadelphia suburbs. Let us know what you think. Email us at foodinspections@philly.com with tips or suggestions.

To look up reports on a specific Montgomery County restaurant, or read more in the Inquirer's Clean Plates series, visit philly.com/cleanplates.

Desi Village Restaurant
145 S Gulph Rd, King Of Prussia, 19406
Upper Merion Township
40 violations, 6 serious.
Insects in kitchen and bar area, mouse droppings in bar; hand sink basin blocked; foods uncovered in most cold units; food handler not wearing hair and beard restraint; dirty kitchen shelves and racks in walk-in refrigerator; mop sink blocked; dirty floors throughout kitchen.  Unpaid fees for license and re-inspection. Inspected June 22.

H Mart
7320 Old York Rd, Elkins Park, 19027
Cheltenham Township
30 violations, 12 serious.
No written procedure for managing a fecal or vomiting incident; hand sink blocked by a door in produce prep area; no single use towels and soap at hand sink in sushi prep area; unapproved fresh flounder for sushi preparation as well as for sashimi to-go lunch boxes; uncovered frozen fish balls; live abalone in aquarium tank with no approved variance and additional aquarium tank labeled with geoduck clam (no clams observed); bee-like insects located inside light shield above sushi prep refrigerator; boxes of food stored above grease trap; water from fish cleaning tables is draining directly onto the floor; mold-like substance on the walls of meat walk-in refrigerator.  Inspected June 28.

Iron Abbey Gastro Pub – The Loft
680 N Easton Rd, Glenside, 19038
Horsham Township
29 violations, 15 serious.
Food safety manager did not have current certificate; employee beverages – lacking lid or straw, – were stored over food prep station; hand sinks blocked by strainer bins; no paper towels or soap at bar sink; no hot water in men's room; accumulated mold in small ice machine; missing or defective thermometers; bottled drinks stored in small ice maker. Inspected June 21.

Pholicious
160 N Gulph Road, #2012 King Of Prussia Mall, 19406
Upper Merion Township
24 violations, 7 serious.
Flying insects in kitchen; food handler lacking hair or beard restraint; cleaning chemical buckets reused to stored food items/sauces; no written procedure for managing a fecal or vomiting incident; front hand wash sink lacking soap; food held at hazardous temperatures; food stored  near restroom. Inspected June 21.

Viking Pastries
39 Cricket Ave., Ardmore, 19003
Lower Merion Township
24 violations, 5 serious.
Mouse droppings on ledge leading to basement; uncovered cakes in retail area; food handlers lacking hair restraints; no written procedure for clean up of vomit and fecal events;  employee washed utensils but did not sanitize; screen door torn; aluminum cans reused to hold food; leak in refrigeration drain line in basement, bucket collecting water;  toilet not flushing properly. Inspected June 15.

Franks Pizza Kitchen
1116 Horsham Rd, Ambler, 19002
Horsham Township
23 violations, 8 serious.
Insufficient refrigeration;  missing thermometers; accumulated mold in ice machine; food handlers lacking hair restraints; tongs hung from oven door handle; coat hung from clean wares shelf; rust on walk-in refrigerator shelves. Inspected June 14.

Station Pizza II
101 E Moreland Ave., Willow Grove, 19090
Abington Township
22 violations, 8 serious.
No posted food safety certificate;  no hand washing sign at sink; accumulated food and grease buildup on cook's line equipment; lacks a written procedure for managing a fecal or vomiting incident; thermometers missing in freezer and refrigerator; open bag of flour stored on shelf in backroom; food handler lacking hair restraint; knives stored in between sandwich prep cooler and grill. Inspected June 26.

Jeffersonville Diner
236 Egypt Rd. Jeffersonville, 19403
West Norriton Township
22 violations, 6 serious.
Food safety certified person not present; food handler washing hands in food prep sink; uncovered food in refrigerator;  accumulated food debris on slicer blade guard; missing thermometers; torn screen door; ice cream scoops stored in stagnant water; water pooling in bottom of reach-in cooler. Inspected June 12.

Priscillas Pizza
217 E Main St, Lansdale, 19446
Lansdale Township
21 violations, 9 serious.
Non-employee in kitchen washing a bowl at time of inspection; no food safety certificate; no written procedure for managing a fecal or vomiting incident.; hot water to hand sink turned off; raw eggs stored above lettuce in walk-in cooler; front and back door opened; roach on kitchen floor; food items stored in freezer in grocery style bags; food handler not wearing hair restraint. Inspected June 22.

My Blue Heaven Take-Out & Fine Catering
1000 Easton Road, Suite 113, Wyncote, 19095
Cheltenham Township
20 violations, 3 serious.
Foods held at hazardous temperatures, business voluntarily disposed of approx 40 lbs. of raw chicken, 15 dozen eggs, some prepared foods stored in black containers; insufficient refrigeration; missing thermometers; mouse droppings observed under prep tables in back area near exit door; Jars of yam juice observed stored directly on the floor in walk-in refrigerator and freezer.Rust-like buildup on shelves inside walk-in refrigerator. Mop sink clogged and collecting stagnant water.Kitchen exit door left open without proper screen doors. Inspected June 15.

Bryn & Danes
115 Plymouth Rd., Plymouth Meeting
Plymouth Township
18 violations, 3 serious.
Food safety certificate not posted; bar employee delivered food to consumer, made smoothies, and washed vitamix without washing hands; towel dispensers removed from both hand sinks; loose towels are not easy accessible; no accurate thermometer in bar freezer; bags on ice stored directly on the floor in walk-in; food handler not wearing hair restraint; "banana shut bottom-unclean;" menumaster units, interior of  cabinet and refrigerator drawers were not clean. Inspected June 13.

Magerks
307 Horsham Rd, Horsham, 19044
Horsham Township
17 violations, 9 serious.
Hand washing sinks at main bar blocked by strainer for dumping drinks; raw chicken stored over raw shrimp; inadequate amount of sanitizer used to wash bar glasses; foods held at hazardous temperatures; fruit flies in bourbons at front bar, not found at main bar, facility voluntarily discarded two bottles; box of lettuce heads stored on floor next to hand sink; plate of partially consumed food at waitstaff station; rear kitchen hand sink pulled from wall. Inspected June 16.

Merion Cricket Club
325 Montgomery Ave, Haverford, 19041
Lower Merion Township
17 violations, 8 serious.
Raw shelled eggs stored over ready to eat food items in  kitchen cooler; inadequate concentration of sanitizer in bar dish machine; interior of ice machines in main kitchen is not clean;  accurate thermometers missing in several kitchen refrigerators; roach in basement near seafood drawer cooler; utensils stored in stagnant water; food splashes on ceiling tiles above salad prep area; vacuum packaging, sous vide, and cook-chill must submit a HACCP plan for approval.  Inspected June 8 .

Complaints or questions about eateries in Montgomery County can be directed to health department offices in Norristown at 610-278-5117, Pottstown at 610-970-5040 or Willow Grove at 215-784-5415.