Cascadia Grill in downtown Olympia racked up the highest violation score among local establishments in the latest round of Thurston County food safety inspections, with 45 red points for temperature-control failures and a too-strong sanitizer solution.
The downtown restaurant at 200 Fourth Ave. W. was inspected July 23, according to inspection data reported by The Olympian and county records. Inspectors found hot-held soup measuring 110–120 degrees Fahrenheit, well below the required 135-degree minimum.
An in-use sanitizer solution in the kitchen was also above the allowed concentration. The round covered 29 establishments inspected between July 16 and July 24.
The 45-point score sits right at the county's reinspection threshold but does not cross it. Under county rules, a mandatory reinspection within 10 business days is triggered only when red points exceed 45. Cascadia Grill, run by owners Jef and Juju, is open Sunday through Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from noon to 9 p.m.
Heyday Café at the Farmers Market
Heyday Café, a family-owned spot at the Olympia Farmers Market on Capitol Way, received 10 red points and 5 blue points in its July 23 inspection. Inspectors found cold-held hash browns and sausage at 50 degrees, nine degrees above the 41-degree maximum. The café also lacked chlorine test strips needed to monitor sanitizer strength.
Tumwater Subway cited for plumbing, staffing gaps
A Subway at 5900 Littlerock Road SW in Tumwater drew 25 red points and 15 blue points on Friday, July 17. That's a significant list. Inspectors found no designated person-in-charge or certified food protection manager, a hand-wash sink with inadequate water flow and a broken soap dispenser, no vomit-and-diarrhea plan or kit on site, and leaking plumbing at both the hand-wash and three-compartment sinks.
County records describe the plumbing problems as "an ongoing issue" and require the operator to submit a photo of the repaired unit within 14 days and provide weekly sanitizer logs for two weeks.
A second Tumwater Subway at 5729 Littlerock Road SE received just 5 blue points on Friday, July 24, for not having a sanitizer bucket prepared.
Clean scores
Ten of the 29 establishments inspected received zero violations, including Anthony's Homeport Olympia at 704 Columbia St. NW, Capitol Lake Grocery at 511 Capitol Way S., Vic's Pizzeria Wildwood on Capitol Boulevard, and Papa Murphy's on Trosper Road in Tumwater.
The county's online Food Safety Inspection Lookup page is updated weekly. As of Thursday, July 30, the July 23 inspections of Cascadia Grill and Heyday Café had not yet been posted. Residents can file food safety complaints online or call the Thurston County Environmental Health Office at 360-867-2667.
