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LouVUE's Weekly Dish: May 5th - 11th, 2025

May 11, 2025 8 min read

May Madness on the Louisville Food Scene: May 5th - 11th, 2025

Hey food lovers and safety seekers! This week’s Louisville food safety report is sizzling hotter than a summer BBQ — and not always in a good way. From sushi chills to smoky thrills, we’ve got the lowdown on what’s cooking (or overcooking) in our town from May 5th through May 11th. Buckle up, because this week’s report serves up some tasty triumphs and a few cautionary tales.

LouVUE by the Numbers

Alright, here’s the 411 on city-wide kitchen inspections:

  • Total Inspections: 264
  • Breakdown:
    • Regular Inspections: 238
    • Other Types (like surveys): 17 (12 OTHER + 5 SURVEY)
    • Follow-Up Inspections: 9 (Re-checks to make sure kitchens got their act together)

A hefty menu of inspections means Louisville’s health inspectors are keeping a close eye on our plates — literally.

Second Servings: Follow-Up Feasts & Fixes

Follow-up inspections are like a second helping — they show whether a place cleaned up its act or still needs to simmer longer.

Here’s how our follow-up diners scored this week:

  • BOYS & GIRLS HAVEN #1 (2301 Goldsmith Ln): A perfect 100 and a shiny A! This crew turned their food safety game around big time.

  • DOLLAR GENERAL #0992 (9308 Blue Lick Rd): Two follow-ups on the same day, both scoring 95 but no grade assigned. Without a grade, it’s like a mystery entrée—good number but not enough data to fully digest their status. We’ll keep watching.

  • HYDERABAD HOUSE INDIAN CUISINE (12412 Shelbyville Rd): They spiced things up and nailed a 100 score with an A grade. Namaste to that!

  • OUTERLIMITS (721 Gagel Ave): A tasty 97 and an A grade. No smoke here, just clean kitchens.

  • SMOKEASY THE PRIVATE LOUNGE (566 S 5th St): 100 and an A. If only every lounge could be this cool and clean.

  • SMOR BAKERI AT OSKAR’S (3797 Poplar Level Rd): Two follow-ups, one with an A and 100 score, one with no grade but perfect 100 score. A little ambiguous, but looks like they’re holding steady.

  • ZOO DIPPIN’ DOTS GORILLA (1100 Trevilian Way): Another perfect A and 100 score. Sweet success!

LouVUE’s takeaway on follow-ups: These inspections are crucial because they prove whether establishments actually fix critical issues or just serve up excuses. This week’s follow-ups mostly show wins, with a few still in limbo like Dollar General. Keep those kitchens on their toes!

Cautionary Cuisine: Red Flags on the Menu

Ah, the dreaded ‘C’ grade — the food safety equivalent of a bad Yelp review. A ‘C’ means the place scored below 85% or had one (or more!) critical violations. These are serious issues that could send your stomach on a rollercoaster ride nobody wants. Establishments with a ‘C’ need to follow up within 7-10 days or risk closure. Let’s dive into the spicy details:

AFC SUSHI (ZENSHI) @ KROGER #780

10645 Dixie Hwy, Louisville, KY 40272

  • Score: 97 (Wait, what? A 97 with a ‘C’? Here’s why…)
  • Violation: PROPER COLD HOLDING TEMPERATURES (Critical)
    • Sushi rolls at 46F-50F, crab and tempura shrimp at 45-50F — above the safe 41F max.

LouVUE’s Take: Even with that high score, one critical violation trumps all. Sushi that’s not chilled properly is a recipe for raw fish regrets. Folks, the cold chain is non-negotiable when it comes to seafood. Keep it 41 or below, or you’re rolling the dice with your taste buds and your gut.

CHAMLING KITCHEN AND BAR

2249 Hikes Ln, Louisville, KY 40218

  • Score: 82
  • Violations:
    • No written response procedures for vomiting/diarrheal events (Critical)
    • Employee personal food mishandling (corrected) (Critical)
    • Missing hand washing stickers on sinks
    • Improper cooling of rice at 66°F (discarded) (Critical)
    • Missing proper date marking (corrected) (Critical)
    • Bleach sanitizer misuse (corrected) (Critical)
    • Wiping cloths not stored in sanitizer
    • Improper utensil storage
    • Sewage leak at hand sink (Critical)
    • No hot running water in restrooms
    • Garbage area unclean

LouVUE’s Take: Déjà vu, anyone? Chamling Kitchen’s kitchen woes are a grab bag of food safety no-nos — from toxic sewage leaks to failing to rapidly cool rice (hello, bacteria buffet). Some issues got fixed on the spot, which is a good sign, but the sewage problem and missing hot water? Those are serious red flags. This one needs a watchful eye before you take a bite.

DRAKE’S OUTER LOOP

3501 Outer Loop, Louisville, KY 40219

  • Score: 83
  • Violations:
    • Food stored less than 6 inches off the floor
    • Raw chicken cooked to 151°F (critical - undercooked!)
    • Sewage leak under 3-compartment sink (Critical)
    • Plumbing leaks at multiple sinks
    • Produce stored under raw ground beef (cross-contamination risk)
    • Unlabeled containers
    • Wiping cloths not sanitized
    • Cold holding failures (49°F for diced tomatoes, cheese)
    • Food-contact surfaces not sanitized (dishwasher not hot enough)

LouVUE’s Take: Talk about a messy buffet! Drake’s Outer Loop nearly turned into a bacterial theme park with undercooked chicken, sewage leaks, and cross-contamination. The dishwasher running at 143°F when it should hit higher temps is a big no-no — sanitation standards are non-negotiable. If you like your food shady (and not in a good way), this isn’t where you want to dine.

HERB’S SMOKED BBQ

No specific address, Louisville, KY 40202

  • Score: 94
  • Violation: Missing hand washing sink, no water at sink (Critical)

LouVUE’s Take: No hand washing sink? That’s like a BBQ pit but no fire. For a smoked BBQ joint, hygiene is smokin’ hot on the priority list. This place scored a 94 overall but one critical violation is enough to ring alarm bells. If you can’t wash your hands, you can’t safely serve the good stuff.

LAS MARGARITAS

938 Baxter Ave, Louisville, KY 40204

  • Score: 85
  • Violations:
    • Dishwashing machine not sanitizing properly (corrected)
    • No consumer advisory for raw/undercooked foods

LouVUE’s Take: Margarita fans beware! The machine that washes your plates wasn’t doing its job properly, and there’s no written reminder about the risks of raw or undercooked foods. While the dishwasher issue got a quick fix, diners deserve to know their risks upfront. Transparency is the best garnish.

LEMONGRASS RESTAURANT & MARKET

2956 Richland Ave, Louisville, KY 40220

  • Score: 84
  • Violations: No specific details listed.

LouVUE’s Take: An 84 score puts this place just below the safety bar. While the violations aren’t detailed here, the grade means something went sideways. Stay tuned for next week’s scoop to see if this gem cleans up its act.

MCGEES CHICKEN

3201 Fern Valley Rd Ste 113, Louisville, KY 40213

  • Score: 87
  • Violations:
    • Poor date marking on various foods
    • Staff not washing hands between handling raw fish, pork, and chicken
    • Employee food stored improperly near customer food

LouVUE’s Take: Finger-lickin’ good? Not quite. Cross-contamination is a fast track to food poisoning, and that handwashing slip-up is a rookie mistake that can cost patrons dearly. Personal drinks and food stored next to customer items? That’s a recipe for disaster. McGees, time to clean up your act!

POPEYE’S LOUISIANA KITCHEN #11848

12206 Shelbyville Rd, Louisville, KY 40243

  • Score: 93
  • Violation: Cheese and coleslaw above 41°F; fridge thermometer reads 48°F (Critical)

LouVUE’s Take: Those biscuits better be hot, but coleslaw and cheese? They gotta be cold cold cold! This walk-in fridge is acting more like a warm pantry, which is a no-go for perishable foods. Popeye’s, please keep that fridge frosty.

TEXAS ROADHOUSE

3322 Outer Loop, Louisville, KY 40219

  • Score: 85
  • Violations:
    • Staff not washing hands between handling raw steak and ground beef
    • Cold holding failures (raw steak at 46-52°F)
    • Employee food/drinks stored next to single service items
    • Sewage leaks and improper wastewater disposal
    • Bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods

LouVUE’s Take: Y’all, Texas Roadhouse is known for big flavors, but this week they served up a big ol’ helping of risk. Handwashing slip-ups mixed with cold holding failures and sewage leaks? That’s a triple threat. Plus, bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods? That’s a no-go in the food safety bible. They better rope in these issues quick before this roadhouse ride ends in a foodborne flare-up.

The Check, Please: Wrapping Up This Week’s Food Safety Feast

Louisville’s kitchens are a mixed plate this week — lots of clean plates and A’s, but a fair share of red flags waving from the ‘C’ side of the menu. Remember, one critical violation can turn a high score into a ‘C’ faster than you can say “food poisoning.”

As the weather warms, let’s keep our eyes peeled and our forks ready. Whether you’re grabbing sushi, BBQ, or some Southern fried favorites, make sure your spot is playing by the food safety rulebook. And if you spot something funky on your plate, trust your gut — literally — and speak up.

Stay safe, stay savvy, and as always, keep it delicious, Louisville!

— LouVUE 🍴👀