image Food Establishment Inspection Report
Pursuant to Title 25-A of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations 		image
Health Regulation & Licensing Administration  •  Office of Food, Drug, Radiation, and Community Hygiene  •  2201 Shannon Place, SE - 2nd Floor  •  Washington, DC 20020
http://doh.dc.gov/service/food-safety      email: food.safety@dc.gov
Establishment Name  LETENA RESTAURANT(N)
Address  3100 14TH ST NW
City/State/Zip Code  WASHINGTON, DC 20011
Telephone
 (202) 870-1514
 E-mail address  yamrote@letenarestaurant.com
Date of Inspection
 10
/
 04
/
 2023
    Time In
 05
:
 13
PM     Time Out
 06
:
 29
PM  
License Holder  Letena Ethiopian Restaurant LLC
License/Customer No.  09313xxxx-17000002
License Period
 10 
/
 01 
/
 2018 
 - 
 09 
/
 30 
/
 2020 
 Type of Inspection
 Routine
Establishment Type:  Restaurant Total
    Risk Category 1
 
 2
 
 3
 
 4
 
 5
 
 
Priority Violations  0 COS  0 R  0
Priority Foundation Violations  2 COS  1 R  0
Core Violations  6 COS  2 R  0
Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM)
 ABAY MENGSTU 
CFPM #:  FS-94840 

CFPM Expiration Date:   12/04/2023  
D.C. licensed trash or solid waste contractor:
 Building 
D.C. licensed sewage & liquid waste transport contractor:
 Atlantic Bio Fuel 
D.C. licensed pesticide operator/contractor:
 Pest Now 
D.C. licensed ventilation hood system cleaning contractor:
 BN 
FOODBORNE ILLNESS RISK FACTORS AND PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS
  Compliance Status COS R
  Supervision  
IN OUT 1. Person in charge present, demonstrates knowledge, and performs duties
 
 
IN OUT 2. Certified Food Protection Manager
 
 
  Employee Health  
IN OUT 3. Management, food employee, and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities, and reporting
 
 
IN OUT 4. Proper use of restriction and exclusion
 
 
IN OUT 5. Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events
 
 
  Good Hygienic Practices  
IN OUT N/O 6. Proper eating, tasting, drinking, or tobacco use
 
 
IN OUT N/O 7. No discharge from eyes, nose, and mouth
 
 
  Control of Hands as a Vehicle of Contamination  
IN OUT N/O 8. Hands clean and properly washed
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 9. No bare hand contact with RTE foods or a pre-approved alternate procedure properly allowed
 
 
IN OUT 10. Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible
 
 
  Approved Source  
IN OUT 11. Food obtained from approved source
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 12. Food received at proper temperature
 
 
IN OUT 13. Food in good condition, safe, and unadulterated
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 14. Required records available: shellstock tags, parasite destruction
 
 
  Protection from Contamination  
IN OUT N/A 15. Food separated and protected
 
 
IN OUT N/A 16. Food-contact surfaces: cleaned and sanitized
 
 
IN OUT 17. Proper disposition of returned, previously served, reconditioned, and unsafe food
 
 
  Potentially Hazardous Food (Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food)  
IN OUT N/A N/O 18. Proper cooking time and temperatures
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 19. Proper reheating procedures for hot holding
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 20. Proper cooling time and temperature
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 21. Proper hot holding temperatures
 
 
IN OUT N/A 22. Proper cold holding temperatures
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 23. Proper date marking and disposition
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 24. Time as a public health control: procedures and records
 
 
  Consumer Advisory  
IN OUT N/A 25. Consumer advisory provided for raw or undercooked foods
 
 
  Highly Susceptible Populations  
IN OUT N/A 26. Pasteurized foods used; prohibited foods not offered
 
 
  Chemical  
IN OUT N/A 27. Food additives: approved and properly used
 
 
IN OUT N/A 28. Toxic substances properly identified, stored, and used
 
 
  Conformance with Approved Procedures  
IN OUT N/A 29. Compliance with variance, specialized process, and HACCP plan
 
 
 
GOOD RETAIL PRACTICES
  Compliance Status COS R
  Safe Food and Water  
IN OUT N/A 30. Pasteurized eggs used where required
 
 
IN OUT 31. Water and ice from approved source
 
 
IN OUT N/A 32. Variance obtained for specialized processing methods
 
 
  Food Temperature Control  
IN OUT 33. Proper cooling methods used; adequate equipment for temperature control
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 34. Plant food properly cooked for hot holding
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 35. Approved thawing methods used
 
 
IN OUT 36. Thermometers provided and accurate
 
 
  Food Identification  
IN OUT 37. Food properly labeled; original container
 
 
  Prevention of Food Contamination  
IN OUT 38. Insects, rodents, and animals not present
 
 
IN OUT 39. Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage, and display
 
 
IN OUT N/A 40. Personal cleanliness
 
 
IN OUT 41. Wiping cloths: properly used and stored
 
 
IN OUT N/A N/O 42. Washing fruits and vegetables
 
 
  Proper Use of Utensils  
IN OUT 43. In-use utensils: properly stored
 
 
IN OUT 44. Utensils, equipment and linens: properly stored, dried, and handled
 
 
IN OUT 45. Single-use/single-service articles: properly stored and used
 
 
IN OUT N/A 46. Gloves used properly
 
 
  Utensils, Equipment, and Vending  
IN OUT 47. Food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed, and used
 
 
IN OUT 48. Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained, and used; test strips
 
 
IN OUT 49. Nonfood-contact surfaces clean
 
 
  Physical Facilities  
IN OUT 50. Hot and cold water available; adequate pressure
 
 
IN OUT 51. Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices
 
 
IN OUT 52. Sewage and waste water properly disposed
 
 
IN OUT 53. Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, and cleaned
 
 
IN OUT 54. Garbage and refuse properly disposed; facilities maintained
 
 
IN OUT 55. Physical facilities installed, maintained, and clean
 
 
IN OUT 56. Adequate ventilation and lighting; designated areas used
 
 
IN = in compliance OUT = not in compliance N/O = not observed
N/A = not applicable COS = corrected on-site R = repeat violation
Establishment Name  LETENA RESTAURANT(N)    Establishment Address  3100 14TH ST NW
OBSERVATIONS 25 DCMR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS
3. - The establishment did not provide proof of an employee health policy for the prevention of foodborne illness. I provided the establishment with a copy of the Food Code's conditional employee and food employee interview, reporting agreement, and medical referral forms. (Corrected On Site)  300.1 The licensee shall require food employees and conditional employees to report to the person in charge, in accordance with this Section, information about their health and activities as they relate to diseases that are transmissible through food.  
5. - The establishment does not have approved procedures for responding to a contamination event due to vomiting or diarrhea. (Corrected On Site)  504.1 A licensee shall ensure that its food establishment shall have procedures for employees to follow when responding to vomiting or diarrheal events that involve the discharge of vomitus or fecal matter onto surfaces in the food establishment. The procedures shall address the specific actions employees must take to minimize the spread of contamination and the exposure of employees, consumers, food, and surfaces to vomitus or fecal matter. Pf  
15. - Food is not stored in a manner to protect from cross contamination, food not covered in the kitchen. (CORRECT VIOLATION WITHIN 14 CALENDAR DAYS)  802.1(c)-(h) Food shall be protected from cross contamination by: (c) Cleaning equipment and utensils as specified in Section 1901 and sanitizing as specified in Section 2002; (d) Except as specified in Section 802.2, storing the food in packages, covered containers, or wrappings; (e) Cleaning hermetically sealed containers of food of visible soil before opening; (f) Protecting food containers that are received packaged together in a case or overwrap from cuts when the case or overwrap is opened; (g) Storing damaged, spoiled, or recalled food being held in the food establishment as specified in Section 3103; and (h) Separating fruits and vegetables, before they are washed as specified in Section 806 from ready-to-eat food.  
23. - Temperature control for safety foods intended to be held for more than 24 hours are not date marked.(CORRECT VIOLATION WITHIN 5 CALENDAR DAYS)  1007.1 Except when packaging food using a reduced oxygen packaging method as specified in Section 1011, and except as specified in Section 1007.4 and 1007.5, refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food (time/temperature control for safety food) prepared and held in a food establishment for more than twenty- four (24) hours shall be clearly marked to indicate the date or day by which the food shall be consumed on the premises, sold, or discarded when held at a temperature of five degrees Celsius (5 degrees C) (forty-one degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees F)) or less for a maximum of seven (7) days. Pf  
37. - Working containers of foods that are not easily recognizable are not name labeled.(CORRECT VIOLATION WITHIN 14 CALENDAR DAYS)  803.1 Working containers holding food or food ingredients that are removed from their original packages for use in the food establishment, such as cooking oils, flour, herbs, potato flakes, salt, spices, and sugar shall be identified with the common name of the food, except that containers holding food that can be readily and unmistakably recognized, such as dry pasta, need not be identified.  
39. - Observed vegetable oil stored directly on the kitchen's floor. (CORRECT VIOLATION WITHIN 14 CALENDAR DAYS) (Corrected On Site)  816.2 Food in packages and working containers may be stored less than fifteen centimeters (15 cm) or six inches (6 in.) above the floor on case lot handling equipment as specified in Section 1534.  
41. - Wet wiping cloths are not stored in sanitizer buckets when not in use. (CORRECT VIOLATION WITHIN 14 CALENDAR DAYS)  812.2 Cloths that are in-use for wiping counters and other equipment surfaces shall be: (a) Held between uses in a chemical sanitizer solution at a concentration specified in Section 1813; and (b) Laundered daily as specified in Section 2101.4.  
49. - Observed a dusty refrigerator. (CORRECT VIOLATION WITHIN 14 CALENDAR DAYS)  1903.1 Nonfood-contact surfaces of equipment shall be cleaned at a frequency necessary to preclude accumulation of soil residues.  
 
Sanitizer: Quaternary Ammonium, 200 ppm, 0.0 pH, 99.0°F 
Temperatures
 Item/Location Temp  Item/Location Temp  Item/Location Temp  Item/Location Temp
Greenleaf Lettuce (Hot Bar) (Hot Holding) 162.0F Lamb (Hot Bar) (Hot Holding) 168.0F Lentils (Hot Bar) (Hot Holding) 156.0F Tofu (Hot Bar) (Hot Holding) 169.0F
Cabbage (Hot Bar) (Hot Holding) 162.0F Beef (Hot Bar) (Hot Holding) 176.0F Carrots (Cold Bar) (Cold Holding) 38.0F Onion Rings (Cold Bar) (Cold Holding) 38.0F
Mushrooms (Walk-in Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 38.0F Onion Rings (Walk-in Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 39.0F (Handwashing Sink - Bar) (Hot Holding) 100.0F (Handwashing Sink (kitchen)) (Hot Holding) 110.0F
(Handwashing Sink (kitchen)) (Hot Holding) 119.0F (3-compartment sink) (Hot Holding) 131.0F (Handwashing sink (toilet room)) (Hot Holding) 100.0F (Handwashing sink (toilet room)) (Hot Holding) 100.0F
(Walk-in Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 41.0F (Reach-in Freezer) (Cold Holding) -2.0F (Under-counter Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 38.0F (Under-counter Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 32.0F
(Under-counter Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 38.3F Salad (Cold Bar) (Cold Holding) 39.0F        
Inspector Comments:
Correct violation within 5 calendar days

Correct violation within 14 calendar days

If you have any question, please contact the area supervisory sanitarian at food.safety@dc.gov.
DC Health does not assign a grade, percentage, or rating for establishment inspection reports. We perform a pass-fail inspection. The amount of Priority, Priority Foundation, and Core violations are tallied at the top of each inspection report. DC Health also performs follow up inspections to ensure the violations which were cited on the initial report have been corrected. To view an establishment's inspection report, follow this link: https://dc.healthinspections.us.
  Yamrot Ezineh 10/04/2023
 Person-in-Charge (Signature) (Print) Date
    Ilda Bengui 415  10/04/2023 
  Inspector (Signature) (Print) Badge # Date
    2023