Wasabi has reopened after being shut down for food and safety violations
Following a successful health inspection, Wasabi reopened on June 25 after taking 10 days to restore the restaurant to the Dartmouth Health Board's food and safety standards.
William Lam—son of owners Sau Wah Lam and Cheong Hon Lam—said employees cleaned the restaurant themselves after failing a health inspection on May 19 and closing on June 15.
The restaurant could not reopen until it passed another health inspection, said Dartmouth Director of Public Health Christopher Michaud.
Wasabi owners visited the Board of Health on June 22 to reapply for a license to operate the sushi restaurant.
Last month's inspection revealed uncovered food within the walk-in refrigerator, moldy ceiling tiles, a crusted sugar scoop, grease buildup, and a bowl of chicken left on the floor. Additionally, Health and Sanitary Inspector Janice Young noted in his report that violations cited on February 11—which also included uncovered food in the walk-in cooler and freezer—remained uncorrected.
Michaud said that it’s impossible for an inspection report to come back 100-percent clean, and that something as simple as a waiter grabbing an unclean drinking glass and not washing his hands is unsanitary and would be noted.
Michaud said that although the photos from the inspection can be a tad damning, there isn’t a single health inspector who wouldn’t eat at any of the open restaurants in Dartmouth.
Wasabi is located at 747 State Road.