New Jersey has a vibrant food culture, and it's a place where you can have a fun multi-culinary experience throughout the year. Ask any of the locals, and they'll readily give you a list of family-friendly restaurants, bistros, cafes, and fine dining establishments that you have to visit during your stay. Some restaurants in the Garden State have become iconic for their amazing food and celebrity clientele, but even the most in-demand resto can be put under scrutiny if they violate health code violations.
Such is the case with 1958 Cuban Cuisine, a restaurant that has been in Westfield for seven years. This much-loved establishment has been cited by the Board of Health for a series of violations throughout its operations, and board member Dr. Lawrence Budnick says that this is the only restaurant in NJ that has had continuous problems. “The vast majority of it rested on human behavior– handwashing, that kind of thing,” he adds. Dining at a clean restaurant can make you feel comfortable and safe, so it's important to be on the lookout for signs of cleanliness and hygiene whenever you're having a meal by yourself or with your loved ones. Here's how to know if your favorite New Jersey restaurant is clean and hygienic.
Spotless and Well-Maintained Floors
Having a spotless and well-maintained floor is one of the easiest way to tell if a restaurant is clean and hygienic. Aside from being free from dirt, grime, and food bits, the floor should also be in top condition. You shouldn't see any signs of deterioration such as peeling linoleum, cracked tiles, or warped wooden floor boards since not only are they unsightly, but they can also be a safety hazard. Restaurant staff should do a thorough clean of the floors twice a day, once before opening, and another after closing time. Spills should also be mopped up immediately to avoid slip and fall accidents and to prevent floors from getting sticky.
Apart from doing daily sweeping and mopping, dining establishments should consider calling in experts to do a professional restaurant floor cleaning every quarter or so. Restaurants have some of the highest footfalls among all businesses, so a deep clean should be done every few months, especially before and after tourist season or special events. Just think about what the floors in Haddon Avenue bars look like after the annual Paddy's Day Pub Crawl, and you'll know why a regular professional floor cleaning is a must in all NJ dining or drinking establishments.
Clean Menus and Condiments
It's a given that dining establishments should have clean and non-sticky tables and chairs. But if you want to make sure that your favorite New Jersey restaurant is truly clean, take a look at their menus and condiments. These are some of the most heavily used and handled items in a restaurant, and according to a study, the average menu can have up to 185,000 types of bacteria on its surface. Another study shows that 100 percent of condiment bottles and containers have aerobic bacteria, which is the type that multiplies and thrives when oxygen is present.
Ideally, menus and condiment bottles should be free of food particles and ketchup or mustard drippings, and staff should wipe them down several times a day. To be on the safe side, carry some wet wipes with you and wipe down the condiment bottles before using them. You can also use the restaurant's QR code menu to order your food.
A Pristine and Fully Stocked Restroom
Many individuals judge a restaurant by restroom cleanliness. In fact, nearly 90 percent of people who see a dirty restroom think that the kitchen and food is just as unsanitary. Not all NJ restaurants have Instagram-worthy restrooms, but at the very least, the floors and the counters should be clean and dry, and the mirror should be free from streaks and water spots. The toilet itself should be sparkling clean with no questionnable stains in or around it, and the trash can shouldn't be overflowing with toilet paper. Cleaning implements such as toilet brushes should be kept out of sight. Also, the soap dispenser should be full and working properly, and toilet paper should be available at all times.
You deserve to have an enjoyable experience whenever you dine outside. Be on the lookout for these signs to know if your favorite restaurant is clean, and have peace of mind knowing that you're safe while feasting on New Jersey specialties.
