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# Diners can log on before eating out
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/diners-can-log-on-before-eating-out/
- Published: 2005-08-09T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:34:00.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Business, Santa Monica, #archive-import

or safe enough to eat somewhere.

MAKING THE GRADE At the end of the past fiscal year, which ran from July 2004 to June 2005, 91 percent of Santa Monica businesses received an “A” rating, 9 percent better than the county average of 82 percent. In each of the three previous years, Santa Monica remained well above the county average, Powell said. In Santa Monica, the health department in 2004-05 graded 657 businesses, 122 of which are restaurants and 136 are markets. “I think the merchants in Santa Monica should be proud,” Powell said of the results.

During the past fiscal year, there were a total of 1,483 inspections in Santa Monica, with 1,350 of them resulting in “A” grades, or 91 percent. There were 118 “B” ratings (8 percent) and 13 “C” grades (.9 percent) in 2004-05\. Only two inspections resulted in less than a “C” grade, which accounted for.1 percent.

Those grades that result in less than a “C” are serious violations in health department officials’ view. Restaurants whose grades drop below a score of 70 are usually shut down. But oftentimes, restaurants will be closed temporarily even if they have a grade above a “C.”

Countywide, there were 1,048 closures, or 1.5 percent of all restaurants. That’s up from the average of 1.2 percent, Powell said.

“Closures are a big deal for us,” Powell said. “We only close facilities if there is an endangerment to public health.”

He added that a lack of hot water is a top reason for closures, which is usually noticed first by front-line employees like dishwashers. It’s up to management to stay on top of those issues.

“It’s a matter of being attentive,” he said.

TEMPORARILY OUT OF SERVICE Although it’s unknown how many restaurants were closed in Santa Monica during the last fiscal year, a review of recent closures on the health department’s Web site shows that there were 11 restaurants temporarily out of service in Santa Monica within the past three months.

In all of the cases, either the presence of rodents or insects — including cockroaches, a lack of potable water or hot water, or sewage issues forced the restaurants to shut down. Each has since reopened, but not all them have received a healthy report card.

For instance, the upscale Buffalo Club, 1520 Olympic Blvd., still has a “C” score of 75 points after it was shut down on July 25 because of rodent infestation. The restaurant opened back up on July 30.

The health department also forced the following restaurants to close since May: ■ Acadie, 213 Arizona Ave. Closed on May 10 and reopened on May 10 with a B rating. Reason: No potable water supply or hot water. Current grade: A. ■ Big Bowl, 1916 Lincoln Blvd. Closed on July 5, reopened on July 7\. Reason: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin. Rodent infestation. Current grade: B. ■ Broadway Deli, 1457 Third Street Promenade. Closed on May 20, reopened on May 20 with a B rating. Reason: Sewage. Current grade: A. ■ Busby’s, 3110 Santa Monica Blvd. Closed on May 26, reopened on May 28 with a C rating. Reason: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin. Insect infestation. Current grade: A. ■ El Taxate Restaurant, 316 Pico Blvd. Closed on July 13, reopened July 17\. Reason: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin. Cockroach infestation. Current grade: B. ■ Hot Dog On A Stick, 1633 Ocean Front Walk. Closed on May 12, reopened on May 12 with an A rating. Reason: No potable water supply or hot water. Current grade: A. ■ Magicopolis, 1418 Fourth St. Closed on May 4, reopened on May 10\. Reason: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin. Rodent infestation. Current grade: B. ■ Nu Wilshire, 1314 Wilshire Blvd. Closed on July 21, reopened on July 21\. Reason: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin. Vermin infestation. Current grade: A. ■ Tom’s, 2350 Pico Blvd. Closed on July 19, reopened on July 22\. Reason: Prevention of entrance and harborage of vermin. Vermin infestation. Current grade: B. ■ Ukraina Delicatessen, 1207 Wilshire Blvd. Closed on July 18, reopened on July 18\. Reason: Sewage. Current grade: A.

THE REPORT CARD IN SCALE On the health department’s Web site, which is about four week’s behind current inspections, it shows that of Santa Monica’s 657 businesses which handle food, 631 of them have “A” grades; 25 have “B” grades and one has a “C.” None have less than a “C” grade. The Web site shows that 20 businesses have a perfect score of 100.

“That’s pretty high,” Powell said. “Santa Monica traditionally has always had a high level of performance.”

But what does the letter mean to the average consumer?

An “A” rating means the establishment has between 90 and 100 points. A “B” rating indicates the place has between 80 to 89 points and a “C” rating gives between 70 and 79 points. If an establishment falls below a “C,” it is deemed unsafe to operate and will be shut down until the violations have been corrected.

Starting with a score of 100, points are knocked off based on the seriousness of a given infraction.

“High-risk” violations carry six-point deductions and range from everything from unsafe food temperatures to a lack of employees washing their hands, or evidence that rodents, cockroaches or flies pose an immediate risk. A restaurant could be shut down for any violation in this category.

Inspectors have special flashlights that can detect whether rodents have been crawling on food. “Moderate-risk” violations carry four-point deductions that also address food temperatures in thawing meats, or if the food is being prepared in an inappropriate place.

“Low-risk” violations carry one-point deductions and mostly address operational procedures like employees not wearing hair restraints, structural problems in the building or inappropriate storage of food and supplies.

WINDOW DRESSING The health department requires that every establishment hang its dirty laundry in the front window for all to see.

It’s no problem when the sign says the restaurant has an “A” rating, but when it slips to a “B” or a “C” a customer may think twice before eating there.

Many restaurant managers will tell customers that the establishment fell to a “B” or a “C” because one minor infraction was found, like a towel was left on the floor. But in reality, it may have been several violations that led to the downgrade because the score is cumulative.

For example, an employee not wearing a hair net accounts for a one-point deduction.

“That might not be a big deal for the county but for someone who once found a hair in their food, it might be,” Powell said. “That might be the deal-breaker (on whether they eat at the establishment).”

The public can ask to see the health department’s report because the restaurant is required to provide the details if asked.

The health department requires that signs be posted in all food establishments that tell the public that they can request on the spot a copy of the latest inspection report. By looking at the report, the consumer will be able to see whether or not the restaurant’s employees didn’t wash their hands, the place has rodents or it isn’t handling food properly.

Consumers also can log onto the health department’s Web site at www.lapub-lichealth.org/rating to read inspection reports on any restaurant in the county.

“The public is not savvy, not informed enough to know what the grade means,” Powell told the Daily Press in 2002\. “The key here is to be transparent and we are going to tell people what we found.”

Powell did acknowledge, however, that consumers in Santa Monica are more savvy than many citizens in LA County. As a result, grades tend to be higher here because people eat out more frequently, have access to the Internet and are more affluent.

“Santa Monica has an informed consumer demographic,” Powell said. “They are more choosy.”

Powell notes that the restaurant rating portion of the health department’s Web site was the most active of the county’s system. A study conducted by the health department a few years ago found that diners who eat out at least twice a week use the grading system to make their decisions on where to go.

“I believe it has become part of the dining experience,” Powell said.

DIRTY KITCHENS EXPOSED TO PUBLIC The rigorous grading system was instituted in 1998 after a Los Angeles television news station went undercover into restaurants and found egregious behavior in kitchens throughout the county.

Public concern turned into political outrage, and a month later, a grading system went into effect and mandatory public education was required. Now, every owner has to pass a test for food handling.

Since Santa Monica adopted the grading system in 1999, the amount of restaurant closures and dirty, unsafe kitchens has been reduced significantly.

Inspectors show up unannounced and during the restaurant’s busiest time to get the best picture of how an operation is run day-to-day. Critics say it only gives the health department a “snapshot” of what’s going on in the kitchen. Powell disagrees.

“How we find you is how you operate,” he once said. “We try to change habits and change behavior. Grading and coming unannounced tends to change people’s habits and teach them that they have to be diligent and prepared all the time.”

Six months after the grading system was established, the health department created a voluntary program that allows food establishment operators to initiate their own inspections up to 10 days after an inspector showed up unannounced and handed them a grade. The health department decided to allow the program after the industry responded to the grading system, arguing unannounced visits from inspectors didn’t represent how the operators performed overall.

The operator can call the health department within three days of receiving a grade, pay a fee within seven days and an inspector will come out within 10 days, Powell said.

“We’ll come out as if we’ve never been there before,” he said. “It’s their ace in the hole and most places improve.”

Operators can use the program once a year. Health department inspectors will typically come back to the establishment within 30 to 60 days unannounced.

“In order to keep the integrity of the program intact, we’ll come back,” Powell said. “That’s to overcome that they got dressed up for the occasion.”

During the 2004-05 fiscal year, 68 operators in Santa Monica used the voluntary program. Countywide, 2,464 establishments used the program last year.

“I am really pleased that Santa Monica is responding and is using the program,” Powell said.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 9, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/080905.pdf?ref=smdp.com)