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  MEZE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE (n)
Address  2437 18TH ST NW
City/State/Zip Code  WASHINGTON, DC 20009
Telephone
 202-797-0017
 E-mail address  info@mezedc.com
Date of Inspection
 02
/
 20
/
 2024
    Time In
 04
:
 25
PM     Time Out
 05
:
 50
PM  
License Holder  Meze Corporation
License/Customer No.  00CAP-931341002744
License Period
 05 
/
 01 
/
 2022 
 - 
 04 
/
 30 
/
 2024 
 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  0 R  0
Core Violations  3 COS  0 R  0
Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM)
 SULEYMAN GUNES 
CFPM #:  FS-92343 

CFPM Expiration Date:   08/27/2023  
D.C. licensed trash or solid waste contractor:
 WWBB Hauling Service 
D.C. licensed sewage & liquid waste transport contractor:
 Valley Protein 
D.C. licensed pesticide operator/contractor:
 Presto ( recent visit on 02/15/20234) 
D.C. licensed ventilation hood system cleaning contractor:
 The Brother TS Hood Cleaning 
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  MEZE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE (n)    Establishment Address  2437 18TH ST NW
OBSERVATIONS 25 DCMR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS
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  
35. - Frozen food thawed under stagnant water in 3-part sink observed. (CORRECT VIOLATION WITHIN 14 CALENDAR DAYS)  1002.1 Except as specified in Section 1002.5, potentially hazardous food (time/temperature control for safety food) shall be thawed under refrigeration that maintains the food temperature at five degrees Celsius (5 degrees C) (forty-one degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees F)) or less; or: (a) Completely submerged under running water: (1) At a water temperature of twenty-one degrees Celsius (21 degrees C) (seventy degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees F)) or below; (2) With sufficient water velocity to agitate and float off loose particles in an overflow; (3) For a period of time that does not allow thawed portions of ready-to-eat food to rise above five degrees Celsius (5 degrees C) (forty-one degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees F)); or (4) For a period of time that does not allow thawed portions of a raw animal food requiring cooking as specified in Sections 900.1 and 900.2 to be above five degrees Celsius (5 degrees C) (forty-one degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees F)), or seven degrees Celsius (7 degrees C) (forty-five degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees F)) as specified in Sections 900.1 and 900.2, for more than four (4) hours including the time the food is exposed to the running water and the time needed for preparation for cooking, or the time it takes under refrigeration to lower the food temperature (41 degrees F)); (b) As a part of a cooking process if the food that is frozen is: (1) Cooked as specified in Sections 900.1, 900.2 or Section 901; or (2) Thawed in a microwave oven and immediately transferred to conventional cooking equipment, with no interruption in the process; or (c) Using any procedure if a portion of frozen ready-to-eat food is thawed and prepared for immediate service in response to an individual consumer's order.  
36. - There is no visible thermometer in the low boy and chest freezers.(CORRECT VIOLATION WITHIN 14 CALENDAR DAYS)  1524.2 Cold or hot holding equipment used for potentially hazardous food (time/temperature control for safety food) shall be designed to include and shall be equipped with at least one (1) integral or permanently affixed temperature measuring device that is located to allow easy viewing of the device's temperature display, except as specified in Section 1524.3.  
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.  
38. - Rodent droppings' on the floor and roaches were observed in the basement. (CORRECT VIOLATION WITHIN 5 CALENDAR DAYS)  3210.1 The premises shall be maintained free of insects, rodents, and other pests. The presence of insects, rodents, and other pests shall be controlled to minimize their presence on the premises by: Pf (a) Routinely inspecting incoming shipments of food and supplies; Pf (b) Routinely inspecting the premises for evidence of pests; Pf (c) Using methods, if pests are found, such as trapping devices or other means of pest control as specified in Sections 3402, 3410 and 3411; Pf and (d) Eliminating harborage conditions. Pf  
 
Sanitizer: Quaternary Ammonium, 300 ppm, 0.0 pH, 61.0°F 
Temperatures
 Item/Location Temp  Item/Location Temp  Item/Location Temp  Item/Location Temp
Hummus (Reach-in Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 41.0F (Refrigerator - drawer) (Cold Holding) 35.0F Chicken Kabob (Refrigerator - drawer) (Cold Holding) 39.0F (Sandwich Prep Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 40.0F
Sliced Tomatoes (Sandwich Prep Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 41.0F Hummus (Sandwich Prep Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 42.0F (Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 39.0F Meatballs (Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 38.0F
Chicken Meatballs (Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 37.0F (Walk-in Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 37.0F Chicken (Walk-in Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 40.0F (Reach-in Refrigerator) (Cold Holding) 39.0F
(Freezer) (Cold Holding) 10.0F (Freezer) (Cold Holding) 15.0F Mushrooms (Steam Table) (Hot Holding) 143.0F Lentil Soup (Steam Table) (Hot Holding) 137.0F
Rice steamed (Steam Table) (Hot Holding) 138.0F Hot Water (Final Rinse Cycle - Warewashing Machine) 125.0F Hot Water (Handwashing sink (toilet room)) 101.0F Hot Water (Handwashing sink (toilet room)) 102.0F
Hot Water (Handwashing Sink - Bar) 102.0F Hot Water (Handwashing Sink - Dishwash area) 112.0F        
Inspector Comments:
Correct cited violations within 5 Calendar-days.

Correct cited violations within 14 Calendar-days.

If you have any questions, please contact the area supervisor by emailing food.safety@dc.gov with your inquiry details.
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.
  Suleyman Gunes 02/20/2024
 Person-in-Charge (Signature) (Print) Date
    Mengestayhu Akelat 607  02/20/2024 
  Inspector (Signature) (Print) Badge # Date
    2023