Allan Appel Photo
Kh Imtiag Ahmed moved from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Lima, Peru, to Myrtle Beach, S.C., up to New Haven’s corner of Bassett and Dixwell — only to be greeted with a lesson from a city health inspector.
Ahmed (pictured) arrived in New Haven to help his uncle open a convenience store. The health department shut it down due to uncorrected violations committed by the previous owner.
On the second day, it reopened, with flying colors after Ahmed and a crew got busy.
That happened because most of the violations at K & Sons were cosmetic: They had to do with cleaning up, not rebuilding or infrastructure. So it was possible to address them all in short order.
The new owner had inherited the violations from the previous owner of the busy convenience store across from Visel’s in the heart of Dixwell. The outlet was previously called 4 Corners Deli.
K & Sons was one of 47 food establishments that the health department inspected between Nov. 15 and Nov. 26. Of those, 44 passed, and three didn’t make the grade.
K & S failed on Nov. 19. It was back in business on Nov. 20 after Ahmed, his uncle Babu Khan, for whom he came to work, along with six other members of this local Bangladeshi family put in 14 hours of straight cleaning.
The gleaming sink was among the improvements raising the score from 78 to 97.
City sanitarians inspect all of New Haven’s restaurants, groceries, bars, and any other establishment that serves food between one and four times a year. Establishments that score less than 80 usually have two weeks to make the recommended corrections. The health department can also close a restaurant regardless of its score, if the sanitarians suspect an immediate danger to public health.
K & S received a 78. That would normally not in itself be grounds for a shutdown.
When a place changes ownership, a new license is required. That puts the establishment on the radar of the inspectors. Even if a new owner doesn’t learn of the previous violations, they are his responsibility.
When city sanitarian Ros Hamilton showed up on Nov. 19 for the first day of business, she found, among other problems, “floors in disrepair, cigarette ashes in the refrigerator freezer, mice dropping on the shelves of dog food, and a filthy hand sink separated from the counter.”
She said Khan, an experienced operator who also owns Dux Market on Chapel Street, explained he had not seen the previous report.
That didn’t impress Hamilton. “I closed them down,” she said.
Hamilton wrote under “corrections due” in her Nov. 19 report: “Close: Not ready for license.”
Ahmed, a 24-year-old, is Khan’s nephew. His uncle had asked him to come up from Myrtle Beach, S.C., to work in the new place. He’s been in town three weeks. He learned his English in college in Bangladesh and his Spanish when he was a student in Lima, Peru. He was selling cell phones in the South but was eager to work for his uncle.
He was ready and prepared to run the day shift at the new store. Instead, he put a “Closed” sign out front.
Then he collected a crew of other members from the family-owned business, and they got to work cleaning.
“Six people worked from four to 12 [midnight],” he said.
He said the floor was “nasty,” and the whole place dirty and untended from the previous owner.
“We took everything out of the cooler and washed with detergent,” he said this week, pointing to the now gleaming equipment as he managed sale after sale of candy, chips, cigars.
On Nov. 20 the family worked from early morning until noon, Ahmed reported. That’s when Ros Hamilton returned.
This time the score shot up from 78 to 97. At the bottom of the inspection report, she wrote: “Okay to license.”
Babu Khan said he will soon be replacing the store sign to reflect the new name, Khan & Sons.
The Winners
Of the 47 restaurants since Nov. 15, 44 passed. The two that did not were ordered to make required changes within two weeks. The following received passing grades:
11/15/2012: Golden Wok, 130 Pearl St., Score: 84; Dunkin Donuts, 770 Chapel St., Score: 85; Pierson Dining Hall, 265 Park St., Score: 96; Bauby’s 784 Chapel St., Score: 87; Shang Hai Market, 365 Whalley Ave., Score: 95; Umberto Club II, 231 Chapel St., Score: 98; Around the Clock Food Mart, 1372 Whalley Ave., Score: 88; Subway, 742 Chapel St., Score: 89; Quality Market, 70 Grand Ave., Score: 92; Rite Aid #0441, 66 Church St., Score: 87;Econo Lodge of New Haven, 100 Pond Lily Ave., Score: 98; Burger King #1448, 169 Whalley Ave., Score: 91; A‑1 Oriental Kitchen, 428 Whalley Ave, Score: 85; Zoi’s On Orange, 338 Orange St., Score: 82; Lenny & Joe’s Fishtale, 501 Long Wharf Dr., Score: 98
11/16/2012: Karaoke Heroes, 212 Crown St., Score: 94; Pan Del Cielo, 523 Ferry St., Score: 88; Nathan Hale School, 480 Townsend Ave, Score: 93; Dell Arte Catering, 442 Elm St, Score: 98; Timothy Dwight Dining Hall, 248 Church St., Score: 88; Roberto Clemente School, 360 Columbus Ave, Score: 95;Libby’s Italian Pastry, 139 Wooster St, Score: 80; The Goat, 212 Crown St., Score: 80; The Mochi Store, 216 Crown St., Score: 96; Four J’s Big Deli, 200 Davenport Ave, Score: 81
11/19/2012: Townhouse Pizza, 246 Kimberly Ave, Score: 87; Woodland Coffee & Tea, 1044 Chapel St., Score: 86; Saint Thomas More Corp, 268 Park St., Score: 90; Grimes Center, 1354 Chapel St, Score: 92; Union League Cafe, 1032 Chapel St., Score: 80; Amarante’s Deck, 62 Cove St., Score: 91; South Central Rehab Center, 232 Cedar St., Score: 93; Union Pizza — Sbarro Pizza, 50 Union Ave, Score: 80; Sushi on Chapel, 1022 Chapel St., Score: 80;
11/20/2012: K & Sons, 706 Dixwell Ave., Score: 97; Scarpallino’s Restaurant, 257 Forbes Ave., Score: 89
11/21/2012: Chocopologie, 47 High St., Score: 86; Claire’s Corner Copia, 100 Chapel St., Score: 90
11/23/2012: Starbucks Coffee #7461, 1068 Chapel St., Score: 89
11/26/2012: Rong Fa Restaurant, 485 Howard Ave, Score: 84; Long Wharf Theater I, 222 Sargent Dr., Score: 96; Oneway Corner Mini Market, 108 Greenwood St., Score: 80; Imperial Wok Chinese Restaurant, 884 Howard Ave., Score: 82; Long Wharf Theater II, 222 Sargent Dr., Score: 94
The Three Needing Improvement
During the November 15 to November 26 period, the following three failed their inspections:
Elm City Market
777 Chapel St.
Score: 61
Due: 2 Weeks
• Move thermometer to warmest location in coolers holding prepared hot foods
• Wipe inside cooler and freezer
• Don’t store raw chicken over vegetables
• Don’t line bottom of coolers with paper
• Clean tracks on slide doors
• Store wipe cloths in sanitary solutions
• Clean floors under and around equipment, touch up floors
• Invert single serve containers
• Touch up defective exterior equipment, wipe exterior of equipment
• Clean walls, clean air vents, replace missing ceiling tiles
• Don’t store food or drink on the floor
• Don’t store toxic items over food products — corrected on site
• Label products not in original containers
• If sampling of product is done, need guard on product
• Before putting on a new pair of gloves, employees to follow proper hand washing — done on site
• Hair restraints
• Follow label instructions on products that should keep refrigerated — corrected on site
• Fix defective wall cover, clean wall board
• Hang up mops and brooms
• Clean can opener blade, holder, frame
• No eating in a food preparation area
• Clean fan cover in walk in cooler, clean ceiling tiles
• Don’t use plastic bowl as scoop in food products
• Replace defective tops on food bins
• Seal floor/wall junctions
• Don’t line shelves in cooler with card board
• Don’t sell baby food past expiration date — corrected on site
• Water stained ceiling tiles
• Don’t store toxic items with food products — corrected on site
Advanced Nursing & Rehabilitation
169 Davenport Ave
Score: 68
Due: 2 Weeks
• Invert single serve containers
• Touch up defective wall in rear,
• Fix defective floor/wall junction tiles, seal floor/wall junction
• Don’t store raw eggs over ready to eat foods, cover exposed food products
• Touch up and fix defective exterior equipment
• Fix defective freezer door, wall tiles, clean air vents and wall board
• Store wipe cloths in sanitary solution
• Fix defective lids on food bins, replace defective food bins
• Label products not in original containers
• Fix and clean defective door gaskets
• Clean inside coolers and freezers
• Raise hot water temperature at employee hand sink to more than 110 degrees — corrected on site
• Don’t use cup as scoop for food products — corrected on site
• Fix paper towel dispenser at hand sink
• Fix defective cabinet doors, wipe inside cabinets
• Clean ceiling tiles and air vents
• Fix defective flooring, clean floors under and around equipment
• Label toxic items in spray bottles — corrected on site
• Before putting on a new pair of gloves, employees to follow proper hand washing procedure- addressed on site
• Don’t block access to hand sink by storing items in front of it
• Fix defective wall bumper, touch up defective building structure
• Follow label instructions in products that say “Keep Refrigerated,” — disposed of one gallon bottle of BBQ sauce
• Hang up mops and brooms
Gennaro’s Apizza
888 Howard Ave
Score: 83
Due: 2 Weeks
• Replace missing ceiling tiles, clan walls, touch up defective walls
• Touch up defective shelves, wipe shelves, don’t line shelves with cardboard
• Don’t store utensils “sheath” style
• Clean can opener blade, holder, frame
• Use approved methods to defrost products
• Hang up mops and brooms when not in use
• Don’t store raw eggs over ready to eat foods
• Clean tracks on slide doors
• Clean insides of coolers and freezers
• Move thermometer to warmest location in coolers holding prepared hot foods
• Invert single serve containers
• Label products not in original containers
• Caps on light shields, hair restraints
• Fix defective flooring, clean floors under and around equipment
• Store wipe cloths in sanitary solutions
• Seal floor/wall junctions, fix defective floor/wall junctions, tiles
• Clean air vents, touch up defective building structure
• If rear door kept open, need screen, seal gaps in exterior door
• Need covered trash can in bathroom for female hygiene products
• Follow label instructions on products that state “keep refrigerated” — disposed of 11 bottles lemon juice
• Touch up defective exterior on equipment, wipe exterior of equipment
• Hand sink must only be used for hand washing, not as a dump sink
Boo for Union League and Libby's scoring lower than the Econolodge! WhodaThunkIt.
Congrats to Claire's - a New Haven beauty inside and out.
I love this feature on New Haven Independent. The New York Times used to do this (many many years ago) and the restaurant owners put the pressure on until the paper dropped the listings. In those lists you could read the actual violations - rodent droppings, cockroaches, raw chicken stored by heating units, the full disgusting gamut.