Asian Restaurants Quest for Culinary Brilliance: The story of two Asian restaurants takes place in a food world shaped by health checks, showing how their paths to culinary greatness differ. Kin’s Cafe in the 7800 block of I-35 South struck a jarring note when it got a terrible score of 68 on its August health inspection. This was only three points lower than its previous score, featured on Behind the Kitchen Door earlier this year.
This time, the inspector’s keen eye found food kept at the wrong temperature, which led to some tasty treats being thrown away. Fly traps cast ominous shadows over sanitation processes above a designated space for food preparation and a metal tray balanced precariously on top of ready-to-eat meat. When asked about food temperatures, a staff member didn’t know what to say, which showed a worrying lack of knowledge.
Inside the ice maker was a nasty pile of black and yellow gunk, which sent up red flags. During the inspection, you were told to get rid of dead bugs and show proof that you had taken steps to control pests. Also, the centre was meant to store food in only a few old containers, which shows the importance of following the rules.
A few stubborn people who broke the rules kept doing so, meaning problems emerged. After the embarrassing check, Tim Gerber, one of our reporters, returned to Kin’s Cafe. The owner, Ricky Liu, was so upset that he blamed a manager who had been fired for the terrible results.
“We found out that she didn’t care about our business. When we found out about this, we fired her,” said Liu. He also noted that Inspector Rose had looked at the house again and decided it was in better condition. Liu became more involved in running the restaurant, increasing their commitment to monthly pest control services and saying they wanted to get a better inspection score.
The action moved to Beijing Express in the 8000 block of Marbach, on the other side of town. This restaurant, which has been featured on Behind the Kitchen Door many times, got a 76 on the August inspection, up from a 70 earlier in the year, showing that it is improving.
However, The thorough inspection found some problems, such as the cold hold unit needing more temperature control, workers not washing their hands, and the constant need to clean equipment and the building well. A side door was left open during the inspection, and Gerber’s recent visit brought attention to the problems.
Gerber asked what the company was doing to improve, but the business wanted to avoid discussing it. A worker at first offered to get a manager, but then he was told to leave.
In the world of cooking, where reviews are king, it’s essential to notice the little things. The different paths of Beijing Express and Kin’s Cafe show how important it is to keep looking for high-quality food even though health checks have strict rules.
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