The Cowfish closes after illness. A look at restaurant health ratings around Charlotte

For once, The Cowfish in South Park didn’t have a 70-hour wait on a Saturday night. It closed for the day Saturday after some employees and customers became sick.

It re-opened normally Sunday.

Cowfish Restaurant Open Again After Brief Closing for Concerns Over Illness: http://t.co/Qy9WYliSFQ pic.twitter.com/kszDPUTrOO

— TWC News Charlotte (@TWCNewsCLT) June 7, 2015

What happened? It’s not clear, and a manager was tight-lipped with the Observer. But the Mecklenburg health department visited the restaurant and “did not find any issues with sanitation that could have caused the flu-like symptoms.” So there’s that.

If you’re worried about getting sick at Charlotte restaurants, consider avoiding these places — at least temporarily — after they scored worse than an “A” on health inspections last week.

Lempira Restaurant on South Boulevard

– Grade: 83.5 (B)

– Violations: “Observed employees wash hands in cold water, without soap and for less than 15 seconds.” “Raw beef stored directly above milk and sausage.”

Libretto’s Pizzeria in the EpiCentre

– Grade: 87.5 (B)

– Violations: “Observed employee use gloved hands to touch face and … continue food prep.” “Plates, cutting boards, plastic covers, and bowls soiled with food debris.”

Persis Indian Grill on Conlan Circle

– Grade: 85.5 (B)

– Violations: “Raw chicken stored over cooked potatoes.” “Lemon slicer, ice scoop and can opener visibly soiled.” “Fruit flies in … kitchen.”

StrikeCity in the EpiCentre

– Grade: 89 (B)

– Violations: “Observed employee touch (ready-to-eat) sausage, mushrooms and lettuce with bare hands.” “Plates, cutting boards, plastic covers, and bowls soiled with food debris.”

Really, just four restaurants with “B” ratings doesn’t seem that bad. Getting a “B” in high school chemistry always felt like a win to us.

Photo: Charlotte Observer file.

This story was originally published June 7, 2015 at 10:36 PM with the headline "The Cowfish closes after illness. A look at restaurant health ratings around Charlotte."