Expired food? Dirty dishes? Health inspectors cite restaurants

WASHINGTON - When you go to a restaurant, you expect a fine meal. You don't expect the crab cakes to have passed their expiration date, nor do you expect your desserts to be prepared by somebody with cuts on his fingers. And, probably you'd like it if your dishes weren't wiped off with dirty rags.

At least 1,900 area restaurants and food vendors, including some of D.C.'s finest restaurants, have been cited for health code violations, The Examiner reports.

Health inspectors in Virginia, Maryland and the District closed at least 116 food places. Those violations included rat and roach infestations.

Among the establishments cited for at least 10 violations are Gordon Biersch Brewery, Georgia Brown's, Palm Restaurant and Toscana Café. These restaurants were not closed. All four received clean bills of health during follow-up visits.

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