‘Minimal to no handwashing:” Latest Triangle restaurant inspections
The News & Observer publishes a weekly roundup of restaurant sanitation scores to keep you up-to-date on the health grades at Triangle dining spots.
Sanitation scores and their corresponding letter grades are used in North Carolina to assess restaurants’ adherence to rules and standards intended to mitigate and prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses.
You’ve likely seen sanitation grade cards at restaurants you’ve visited, and The N&O previously explained what those scores mean and how they’re calculated.
Here are sanitation scores in Triangle counties from Dec. 9-15.
Wake County sanitation scores
The Wake County inspection management system shows 107 restaurant inspections were completed Dec. 9-15. One restaurant received a B grade — a score of at least 80% but lower than 90%:
Bharath Cafe (716 Slash Pine Dr in Cary) received a score of 87% on Thursday, Dec. 11.
- The restaurant was in violation of 11 standards.
- Violations included milk desserts held at too warm temperatures, gaskets and prep coolers soiled with food debris and containers of many foods — including raita, cooked vegetables, yogurt sauce, curry, cooked chicken and goat and milk — were not labeled with the dates of preparation.
- The restaurant previously scored 94.5% in August and 92.5% in February.
Durham County sanitation scores
The Durham County inspection management system shows 35 restaurant inspections were completed Dec. 9-15. Three restaurants received a B grade:
92 Chicken (2107 Allendown Dr #101A in Durham) received a score of 88.5% on Friday, Dec. 12.
- The restaurant was in violation of 12 standards.
- Violations included an employee assisting with orders at the register then returning to the kitchen to handle food without first washing her hands, chicken held at 61 degrees (should be below 41 degrees) and “extensive cleaning” needed throughout the kitchen.
- The restaurant previously scored 93.5% in July and 98% in April.
- Note: Google, TripAdvisor and GrubHub call the restaurant at this address “92 Korean Chicken.”
Tokyo Express (3225 Guess Rd in Durham) received a score of 88.5% on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
- The restaurant was in violation of 15 standards.
- Violations included finding the drive-thru window open for an extended period of time with no service, which could allow the entry of insects and rodents. Violations also included an unapproved fridge holding white sauce at too warm temperatures, and previously made foods were found with the wrong dates written on them.
- The restaurant previously scored 94% in July and 90% in April.
Thai Cafe (2501 University Dr in Durham) received a score of 87% on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
- The restaurant was in violation of 16 standards.
- Violations included finding “minimal to no handwashing was observed throughout the inspection,” pink residue along the ice chute, several items holding above 41 degrees and several bottles of ant spray.
- The restaurant previously scored 96% in August and 97.5% in May.
Orange County sanitation scores
The Orange County inspection management system shows 18 restaurant inspections were completed Dec. 9-15. All received an A grade.
Johnston County sanitation scores
The Johnston County inspection management system shows 14 restaurant inspections were completed Dec. 9-15. All received an A grade.
Chatham County sanitation scores
The Chatham County inspections management system shows 12 restaurant inspections were completed Dec. 9-15. One restaurant received a B grade:
Szechuan Village (111 Knox Way #100 in Chapel Hill) received a score of 84% on Thursday, Dec. 11.
- The restaurant was in violation of 19 standards.
- Violations included finding “cow stomach in a clear, unlabeled plastic bag being brought into establishment in a personal car sitting on floor board,” three large plastic pans of wrapped sesame chicken holding at too warm temperatures and raw beef being thawed on the countertop.
- The restaurant previously scored 94% in October and 91% in March.
This story was originally published December 16, 2025 at 9:26 AM.
