MASON CITY – China Buffet is keeping local health inspectors busy.
Since May of 2011, the Cerro Gordo County Health Department has responded to at least three complaints at the restaurant, located at 500 South Taft Avenue in Mason City, and the last inspection performed on January 11, 2012 wasn’t exactly stellar.
The inspection notes from the health department after each complaint went like this:
May 4, 2011: “Complaint about hot food not being at temp.Hot food on the buffet was at temp today. Talked about Sushi and how it was prepared. Rice is cooked, sugar and vinegar is added, sushi is made while the rice is warm and then held in the walk in cooler and added to the cold buffet line as needed. The fish that is used is grilled eel and imitation crab legs, both purchased from Asian Foods and arrive frozen. Other products used in the sushi are the wrap, which is seaweed, pieces of vegetables such as carrotts, lettuce, avocado. Sushi is made each morning. Sushi is thrown out if some if left at the end of the day.”
August 3, 2011: “A COMPLAINT WAS RECEIVED ON 8/1/2011 FROM A CUSTOMER WHO HAD A FLY IN HER GENERAL TSO CHICKEN (HOT AND SPICEY). THE CUSTOMER HAD EATEN LUNCH ON 8/1/2011. THE OWNER OF THE RESTAURANT WAS AWARE OF THE COMPLAINT AND DID OBSERVE THE FLY IN THE FOOD—-DURING THE INVESTIGATION THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE A FLY ISSUE AT THE FACILITY: THE SANITATION OF THE FACILITY WAS REASONABLY WELL; GARBAGE CONTAINMENT WAS NOT AN ISSUE; THE BACK DOOR FIT WELL AND WAS SCREENED; AND A FLY STRIP WAS PROPERLY LOCATED. SEE NOTES ABOVE REGARDING THE FRONT DOOR.”
October 6, 2011: “A report was called into our office that 3 persons got sick after eating together at this facility. They ate on 10-2-11 at 11:30 and called our office on 10-6-11. No food was left over and no employee’s have been sick. Good temperatures today. A routine inspection was conducted with the owner present. Suhsi is made each day for the buffet. All contents are kept cold, to include the rice.”
On January 11, 2012, a health department inspector completed a routine inspection and found two critical items:
9) Good hygienic practices(S) – Eating, drinking or using tobacco 2-401.11, p 45
Open beverage in the prep area. All beverages must have a lid.
27) Food contact surfaces(S)
Food contact surfaces, characteristics 4-101.11, p 101
Using dishes to scoop food without a handle. All scoops must have a handle. Plastic container need to be washed. Clean the milk holders inside the cooler.
The inspection also revealed five non-critical items:
11a) Food Protection
Misc. sources of contamination 3-307.11, p 72
Food is uncovered in the walk in cooler and freezer.
27) Food contact surfaces(S)
In-use utensils, between use storage 3-304.12, p 65
28) Non-food contact surfaces
Nonfood-contact surfaces not clean 4-601.11(C), p 129, 4-602.13, p 133
Filters need cleaning.
31) Adequate pest control(S)
Outer openings, protected 6-202.15, p 170
Back door has space to allow rodent entry.
34d) Inside physical facilities designed/maintained
Personal care items, storage 7-209.11, p 187
Misc items are stored outside and need to be cleaned up
These inspections come on the heels of a July 12, 2010 inspection with numerous violations. That report stated that “facility will be re-inspected on Thursday July 15 and if all violations and cleaning are not corrected then the facility will close until corrections are made.”
More violations were found on July 15, 2010 but the restaurant remained open. The report stated “Nice job of correcting violations and cleaning. This facility is to remain clean at all times and temperatures are to be checked every 2 hours on the buffet. If during the next regular inspection numerous violations are found, then the facility will be closed until the food code requirements can be followed.”
To see all the latest inspection reports for China Buffet in Mason City, click here.
perhpas the ‘sushi’ is made with the grass carp from briarstone lake……just sayin’
The only problem we have ever had at the “China Buffet” is that the food was cold(steam tables really should be steaming). We tend to enjoy the food at both HY-VEE East and Hunan!
Hunan is much better & Hy-Vee Chinese is great! I haven’t eaten at China Buffet in years, but it was good back then. I think any buffet would have temperature of food issues. PS DON’T EAT SUSHI UNLESS YOU ARE AT A JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE. Why trust it?????
Nothing to do with China Buffet I’m sure…..but I did flip over my chicken at Buffet Garden (when they were behind Kum & Go) & found FUR on it!!!!!! How effing DISGUSTING is that! Glad that place isn’t there anymore.
ok, definitely going to be checking the chicken everywhere from now on. ewww.
It isn’t any big secret that we have become a society of people that sue for ANY reason that they (and their lawyers) can think of to try and make a quick buck. So if anyone could actually PROVE they became ill after dining at a certain establishment, I’m pretty certain they could find an “ambulance-chaser” that would take the case in an attempt to make a name for his/her self. Ah, but of course there is ALWAYS a chance that such a lawsuit might actually be valid…So I guess we will have to wait to see how this all plays out.
The IRONIC thing here is that it SEEMS like (at least to ME) MOST cases of food-borne illnesses come from sources that have been “approved” by inspectors. (Eggs. Poultry. Meat. Veggies. Etc.) SO…despite all these ALLEGED infractions(China Buffet does NOT have to accept these allegations), has ANYONE actually become ill after eating there? And what if the inspectors gave them a clean bill-of-health and THEN people became ill (see previous remark re “approved” foodstuffs.
To paraphrase N.I.T.’s rubber-stamp comment: “Innocent until proven guilty”.
CLARIFICATION:
By “ill”, I mean did anyone require medical attention after dining there? Or did the food possibly just “disagree” with their digestive systems?
believe it or not someone i know that has eatin there for years went last week and had terrible stomach pain..short to say he didnt come out of the bathroom much that day
About the only thing worse than the cleanliness of China Buffet is the clientele that places like that attracts. Yall need to stop eating at buffets and go to the gym! Buffet: Big Ugly Fat F**ks Eating Together.
Wow, you must be something special! Don’t even know people and trash talk everybody! A little respect will get you the same back, talk like this to people you don’t know anything about and your more then likely to get the same treatment.
If you don’t like the resteraunt thats fine, but why not leave the attitude in the closet.
bahahahhahahaha well put
Very blunt comment, but yea, buffetts are definitely assisting with the obesity problem.
GOTTA GO TO SHAO TING GUO BEHIND THE SURF IN CLEAR LAKE HANDS DOWN BEST PLACE TO EAT UNLESS UR IN CHINA TOWN OR CHINA -_-
What I like about Hy Vee East’s chinese is they show on their menu that there is no msg in the food. It’s about the only chinese food in town that’s okay for someone like me who suffers from migraine headaches to eat.
Alice,
Does the MSG trigger your migraine headaches?
Yes Archie, MSG is a huge trigger for anyone who suffers from migraine.
Alice,
My wife has migraines and I wasn’t aware of the MSG connection. I guess we will have to look at food lables more closely. Thanks for your help!
The Chinese food at Hy Vee East is very good and always fresh.
Hunan is also a good buffet.
Go to Hunan!
i had hyvee easts chinese it was the worst ever! i threw it all away! Go to Hunan!
I am surprised the place is still open. When they first opened, I went in there and the place was filthy and the floor looked like someone had a food fight. People were just standing around and it wasn’t busy. I went to sit down and there was food on every chair I pulled out. The food was nothing to write home about and a poor variety. I haven’t been back since. Mason City could use a good Chinese place with a good buffet.
We have eaten at hyvee east’s new chinese buffett. It’s very very good and always steaming hot! It puts hv west to shame, IMO.