Debris, uncovered food containers at Indian Land restaurant cited in SC inspection
Indian Land’s first Indian restaurant is the latest spot to score the state’s lowest health grade, and the second in Lancaster County to do it this month.
Indian Fusion Grill and Bar got a C grade from the state health department after an inspection Wednesday. The restaurant near Sun City was the first to bring Indian food to the county last year, and the only one until Aroma Indian Grill opened near the RedStone 14 movie theater this year.
Indian Fusion, at 8390 Charlotte Hwy., was docked for several violations.
An inspector noted an employee touched trash and continued to cut vegetables without washing hands in between, according to the inspection report. It also noted organic buildup in the ice machine, uncovered food containers in the walk-in cooler, debris buildup in the cooking area and several items that weren’t kept cool enough for health standards.
A follow-up inspection will be scheduled within 10 days.
Another inspection will happen Wednesday, said manager Alex Pagare. The restaurant’s cooler broke down the morning of the inspection and a technician had already been called to fix it, which led to some of the issues, Pagare said. Other issues have been resolved, he said.
“They’ve told me to fix some things, so we’re going to fix them,” Pagare said.
The 73 score out of a 100-point scale triggered the C grade. South Carolina only gives an A, B or C grade.
The lowest category is for scores of 78 or fewer points, or for restaurants with slightly higher scores but a history of repeated violations.
A C grade indicates a restaurant needs significant improvement in its health practices, according to the Health Department.
Indian Fusion has seven health scores listed in the past two years. They include two A scores, three B grades and now two C grades. The restaurant had an A grade with a 99% score prior to Wednesday’s inspection.
Lancaster County food grades
Another Lancaster County restaurant received a C grade earlier this month, but a follow-up inspection already lists it with an A grade now.
Wa Chang Buffet at 270 Hwy. 9 Bypass in Lancaster scored a 71 during its April 5 inspection. That report noted an employee picked up food off the floor and handled dirty dishware without washing hands before handling clean dishware. A mixer and bucket used to make batter for fried chicken was rinsed and stored to dry in a mop sink, according to the report.
Some foods weren’t kept cold enough while others were kept past the time marked on containers, the inspection found.
A follow-up inspection April 12 scored Wa Chang at a perfect 100. Among nine inspections for the restaurant since 2021, all but two have been A grades. The inspection earlier this month was the only C grade.
The restaurant hasn’t had any problems with food safety since the incident as evidenced by the perfect score it has now, manager Raymond Huong said Friday afternoon.
There have been 244 restaurant inspections this year in Lancaster County. Only four of them (1.6%) received a C grade. York County has had nine of 768 inspections with a C grade (1.2%). Chester County hasn’t had a C grade in 74 health inspections.
