Health Department Orders Shutdown Of Pittsburgh Restaurant

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Allegheny County Health Department has ordered the closure of A Graceful Taste @ Electric Ave., on Perrysville Avenue in the city's Perry Hilltop neighborhood, for numerous food code violations.

An Aug. 5 inspection found that in-use utensils were being stored in a tin container of stagnant or dirty water. In-use utensils can only be stored in clean hot water when used for the same type of food .

The restaurant was instructed to keep multiple utensils to use when serving food and wash them at the eatery's designated commissary, or use Dish pans to create a 3-bowl set up to wash, rinse, sanitize and air dry utensils prior to re-use.

The eatery had an insufficient number of approved, properly operating refrigeration units.

The restaurant hand sink lacked hot and cold water at the beginning of the inspection. The water tank was filled slightly, but there was approximately one gallon of water to use. Hot water was unavailable and cold water was not sufficient to wash hands.

The restaurant was ordered to provide adequate hot and cold water to handwashing sinks.

The eatery also did not have a valid health department food safety permit.

The restaurant will be provided with a shared kitchen application that the health department will review. The health department then will alert the restaurant owner of the the next step to obtain a valid health permit.