No restaurant is immune to problems and that includes the winners of Vancouver Magazine's 2016 prestigious restaurant awards. While the food may be good, there have been problems with some and one restaurant actually had to be shut down.
CTV News couldn’t get access into the kitchens of Vancouver’s top restaurants, but health inspectors did.
Ross McLaughlin examined the health inspection reports from April 2015 to mid-November of 2016 from Vancouver Magazine’s award-winning restaurants. Some of the restaurants on the list include Maenam, it was top-rated restaurant of the year and also rated best Thai, Hawksworth, rated best upscale dining, Bao Bei, rated best in Gastown, and Blue Water Café, which was rated best seafood.
But food quality isn't always an indicator of food safety. Ask for Luigi was named best casual Italian but it was not immune to problems. The restaurant was shut down in September for a critical health violation after a cockroach infestation was discovered in the crawl space. The health inspector feared pests could find their way inside, perhaps through the cracks and holes.
Hy's on Hornby Street had a problem with pests too: fruit flies and signs of rodents.
Maenam and Royal Dinette had signs of rodents too. And Hawksworth in downtown Vancouver had signs of a rodent infestation on four different inspections, including their last inspection on October 19. However, in a statement to CTV News chef David Hawksworth stated, "Rest assured we have taken appropriate measures to address the situation and fully expect to pass our next site inspection with flying colours."
It’s not something you like to hear, but critters are not unusual at popular eateries.
“Especially rodents, it's a particular problem," said Claudia Kurzac, Vancouver Coastal Health, Environmental Health. "You have to address it and let's have a look at what you're doing to address it and probably prompt a follow-up inspection to make sure it's being dealt with."
All the restaurants dealt the problems. Ask for Luigi reopened the next day and the general manager, Matthew Morgenstern, thanked the health department stating:
"Their diligent and proactive approach saved us from the possibility of having a more serious issue on our hands."
There are critical things you can't see that can make you sick too, like improper temperatures, cross contamination and unsanitary conditions.
After analyzing all the health inspection reports here’s how the award-winning restaurants stacked up:
- Cioppino's in Yaletown: one critical violation
- Bao Bei: two critical violations
- Blue Water Café: two critical violations
- Le Crocodile: three critical violations
- Ask for Luigi: five critical violations
- Hy’s: six critical violations
- Royal Dinette: seven critical violations
- Hawksworth: seven critical violations
- Dynasty Seafood: eight critical violations
- Maenam: 11 critical violations
Before you head out to eat you can check the health inspection reports online and you should ask if food safety is a priority of theirs.
“I always tell people you can't always tell by the name of the place or people's recommendations. You have to access it for yourself," said Kurzac.
When critical violations are found restaurants are revisited until they get a clean bill of health, which is what happened with all the restaurants mentioned.
If you're eating out and see something that concerns you -- report it. Vancouver Coastal Health says many people who get sick often don't report it, but should.
Food safety comes down to management and a health inspection is just a snapshot in time, which is why you should look at more than one report.
Click through the map if you want to know how your favorite restaurant holds up.
To view all restaurants in Vancouver that have closed at some point this year over health code violations, click the button in the top left to view the map legend, then the check box next to "2016 restaurant closures (as of Nov. 21)." Click here to view the map in a larger scale.
Graphics by CTV Vancouver's Kendra Mangione
