May Madness on the Menu: Louisville’s Food Safety Roundup
Welcome back, my fellow flavor fanatics! This week, from May 12th through the 18th, we’ve been on a roll tighter than sushi rice at AFC Sushi and hotter than the grill at Texas Roadhouse. Whether you’re craving a zesty taco or a crispy chicken wing, I’ve got the scoop on who’s keeping it clean and who needs a quick food safety refresher.
LouVUE by the Numbers
Here’s the quick bite on the inspections this week:
- Total Inspections: 188
- Regular Inspections: 169
- Other Types (OTHER & SURVEY): 11
- Follow-Up Inspections (Re-checks): 8
That’s a hefty serving of oversight, Louisville! Remember, these inspections keep your favorite spots honest and your bellies safe.
Second Servings: Sizzling Success Stories from Follow-Ups
Follow-up inspections are like the encore at a concert—they show if the restaurant really nailed the fix or just gave us a one-hit wonder. This week, all eight follow-ups came back with a big green A grade, and most with perfect or near-perfect scores:
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AFC Sushi (Zenshi) @ Kroger #780 dished out a perfect 100 on May 13th. Sushi lovers, you can slurp safe here: Map.
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Cattleman’s Roadhouse also grilled its way to a perfect 100 on May 13th. Cowgirls and cowboys, your steakhouse is on point: Map.
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Drake’s Outer Loop and Las Margaritas both served up spotless kitchens with perfect 100s on May 15th, ensuring your beer and margaritas are as safe as they are tasty.
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Lemongrass Restaurant & Market returned to the A-list with a perfect score, proving eastern flavors and safety can be a perfect match.
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McGee’s Chicken doubled down with two follow-ups on May 14th, both scoring a strong 99. Cluck yeah! Your fried chicken is finger-lickin’ safe: Map.
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And rounding out the list, Texas Roadhouse hit a perfect 100 on May 15th, so your rolls and ribs are safe to savor: Map.
Follow-ups matter because they’re the second chance to prove a restaurant can fix critical flaws or risk a downgrade. This week’s results? A round of applause for these eateries stepping up their game!
Cautionary Cuisine: The Red Alert Roundup
When a restaurant earns a C grade, it means they’ve either scored below 85% or have critical violations that put food safety at risk. This week, we have four spots flashing the red light. Let’s dive into the details and see what’s cooking (or not) at these places.
Indi’s Restaurant — 86 Points (Grade C)
- Address: 1033 W Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203
- Violations:
- Hands Clean and Properly Washed (Critical): Employee handled raw fish but only rinsed hands, not using soap initially. Corrected on site.
- Food-Contact Surfaces Cleaned and Sanitized (Critical): Sanitizing solution concentration was off. Corrected.
- Proper Cooking Time and Temperature (Critical): Chicken cooked to only 143°F, refried to 165°F+
- Time as a Public Health Control Procedures (Critical): Written procedures not followed. Corrected.
LouVUE’s Take: Looks like Indi’s was doing a little too much multitasking with raw fish and chicken without proper handwashing—rookie mistake that can lead to nasty bugs. Thankfully, corrections were made immediately, but remember, folks, critical violations like these can quickly turn a fun dining experience into a foodborne illness fiasco. Indi’s is skating on thin ice with a C-grade, so I’m watching to see if they clean up their act or keep playing with fire.
La Torta Loca — 92 Points (Grade C)
- Address: 5213 Preston Hwy, Louisville, KY 40213
- Violations:
- Proper Cold Holding Temperatures (Critical): Raw eggs left at room temp. Danger zone!
- Proper Cooling Time and Temperature (Critical): Cooked beef not cooled rapidly enough.
LouVUE’s Take: La Torta Loca might be loco about flavor, but not about food safety this week. Raw eggs at room temperature and slow cooling of beef are classic red flags. Danger zone temps can turbocharge bacteria growth, making your taco trip a gamble. A 92 score is technically higher than Indi’s but the critical hits keep them in the C club. They need to cool it and chill it—literally!
Nic & Normans Louisville — 89 Points (Grade C)
- Address: 108 W Washington St, Louisville, KY 40202
- Violations:
- Food-Contact Surfaces Cleaned and Sanitized (Critical): Sanitizing solution concentration off.
- Proper Cold Holding Temperatures (Critical): Cheese, meatloaf, tomatoes, salsas between 43°F-50°F; raw and shelled eggs not properly chilled and were discarded.
LouVUE’s Take: Nic & Normans is playing with fire (or rather, room temp) when it comes to cold holding. When critical foods like cheese and eggs hang out above 41°F, bacteria can throw a party. They quarantined and discarded some eggs, so at least they’re trying. This is a stark reminder that even beloved local spots must keep their chill to keep us safe.
QDOBA #2632 — 95 Points (Grade C)
- Address: 312 S 4th St, Louisville, KY 40202
- Violations:
- Proper Hot Holding Temperatures (Critical): Chicken and taco meat held between 120°F-133°F, below 135°F threshold. Food was timed and moved to steamer to raise temps.
LouVUE’s Take: QDOBA might have the guac but fell short on keeping their hot foods hot enough. While they had the food labeled and under 2 hours in the danger zone, this can be a slippery slope if ignored. The quick move to the steamer was smart, but consistent hot holding above 135°F is non-negotiable. At 95 points, they’re high but that critical violation bumps them to a C. Time to turn up the heat!
The Check, Please: Stay Safe, Louisville!
All in all, this week’s inspections serve up a mixed platter. Hats off to the follow-up champs proving they can fix their food safety slip-ups. But a shoutout to the C-grade crew: these critical issues aren’t just paperwork—they’re about protecting you from foodborne illness.
So next time you’re out, remember: a shiny A-grade is your best bet. And if you hit a C, consider it a caution flag; maybe grab a snack elsewhere while they get their act together.
Stay hungry, stay safe, and keep those forks ready for the next LouVUE scoop. Until next time, Louisville—eat smart, live well! 🍴✨