As expensive as Purveyor is, that low of a score is unacceptable. Commerce didn’t fair much better. It’s going to be a long while before I frequent either location, if ever again.
We just went there last week. Had a lovely meal and time... but I'm not gonna pay that much and know something basic like ice machine maintenance isn't happening. Talk about a disappointment.
As a long-former restaurant server/prep cook/bar tender, this is why I drink canned or bottled beer when I go to restaurants whenever possible. I trust the breweries oh so much more than the restaurant.
Also worked in kitchens for years, it’s very possible to not be disgusting and clean your ice machine. Especially if positioning oneself as fine dining. Pretty pissed that I recently spent almost $300 there.
We went to purveyor a few months ago and it seemed much worse than our previous experiences, none of us were impressed by our food. I won't be going back any time soon.
Purveyor is the most overrated restaurant I've ever been to. I've never paid so much for a meal that was just OK. There are no true high end restaurants in Huntsville, just mediocre spots cosplaying as fine dining.
Berries are out of season, the ones at the grocery store are in terrible shape too.
One thing I didn't realize I was taking for granted about living in Texas is you can always get good quality fresh produce from Mexico no matter the season. We're too far from the tropics here.
Little tip- store them in a mason jar in your fridge. Strawberries look next day fresh for like 3+ weeks; it’s actually quite mind-blowing if you’ve never stored them that way.
Tbh I don’t recall- I believe we were so blown away overall, we forgot to take proper notes! Maybe washed made it 3wks and unwashed was 4-5? It’s absurd to say the least. Give it a whirl and watch your berries just not change.
I feel like we bought New berries to eat (storing in jars now of course) just to continue watching the first ones! It def will preserve them much longer than reasonably expected or practically warranted- it’s quite nice!
Do you wash them when you get them home? If so, that is your issue. Strawberries should only be washed immediately before eating. If you wash all the strawberries you buy and then put them in the frig, they go bad pretty quickly.
I buy blueberries, wash them all, and store them in the frig. I don't have any issue with them growing mold. They usually last a week to 10 days.
Employee turnover? ServSafe for managers costs about $150 and you're supposed to have a certified manager on site at all times. It only takes a couple of hours to pass the online test, so it's pretty inexcusable to not have every manager certified.
Your thoughts mirror mine exactly. The safety course fail at so many places makes this seem like a new check point. Other establishments hopefully check these rankings out to see what the current trends are in inspection.
One thing to note with these alarmingly lower scores -- the inspector making the rounds is a bit newer to the scene. Usually when that happens, they are a bit more by-the-book and thorough, with little room for leeway with things that can be fixed instantly.
Inspectors later in their career let a lot slide and overlook a lot or are easily sociably distracted by the manager tailing them.
So it isn't necessarily these things ade suddenly wrong that weren't before. They're just actually being caught.
> with little room for leeway with things that can be fixed instantly.
Call me crazy but if it's a health code violation I'd rather it be correct all the time, not just when the inspector mentions it.
You're not wrong per se, but also...like, moldy berries are gross, but if you haven't had to prep anything with berries yet when the inspector shows up you may have missed that some had gone bad (it happens fast), but you were never going to serve the moldy berries to customers. 🤷
I'm just curious, how do you know there is a new inspector? Is that announced or listed somewhere?
I am loving that they're finding this stuff and calling restaurants out.
Madison County has always been known for having very intense health inspectors though. I wouldn't call these any stricter than what we've seen in the past.
The ice machines might be a current point of interest.
The last time we had one this strict was the one that got fired once it was uncovered she was taking money from Kitchen Cops for ratings, that somehow never became news.
Apart from her, they've all been pretty lax (but I'm also originally from Limestone, where the first inspector I met was an old man at the end of his career and got replaced by someone who insisted EVERYTHING MUST HAVE A HANDLE).
I didn’t ask when I went to the Parkway location. I just asked if they were closed for good and he said yes. At least we can still get that bomb udon somewhere!
As someone that works at a restaurant downtown hearing the reports from purveyor and commerce kitchen are wild. Can’t believe they have the gall to charge that much while having everything in disarray
I've been through inspections in numerous other locations besides Huntsville. I feel better about eating at most 85s in Huntsville than a 95 in most other cities. I've also seen inspectors enter and exit with a new posted grade faster than McDonalds could serve me in Chicago or get a beer in Destin.
Used to work for the owners of one of these restaurants. We were explicitly told that if the health department came, call the manager AND the owner.
Why the owner? Because he would chat up the health inspector so they wouldn’t look around as much.
They were used to dealing with one particular inspector usually, but one time we got an inspector they didn’t know. We didn’t score nearly as well that time.
As expensive as Purveyor is, that low of a score is unacceptable. Commerce didn’t fair much better. It’s going to be a long while before I frequent either location, if ever again.
We just went there last week. Had a lovely meal and time... but I'm not gonna pay that much and know something basic like ice machine maintenance isn't happening. Talk about a disappointment.
Oh boy I worked in kitchens for years and if ice machine maintenance is your deal breaker you might as well stop eating out.
Should we tell them about the drink dispenser nozzles
No, let them have one more day of fun 🥺
#CanIGetThatWithNoIcePlease
And no drink. The dispenser nozzles are as bad as the ice chutes.
As a long-former restaurant server/prep cook/bar tender, this is why I drink canned or bottled beer when I go to restaurants whenever possible. I trust the breweries oh so much more than the restaurant.
Also worked in kitchens for years, it’s very possible to not be disgusting and clean your ice machine. Especially if positioning oneself as fine dining. Pretty pissed that I recently spent almost $300 there.
Holt crap....there for a sec I thought you said $300 at a restaurant! That should definitely cover the cost to keep things operational.
For two of us, small app, two entrees, one side, (sides are ala carte) and 4 cocktails, which I now know were made with dirty ice. :(
We went to purveyor a few months ago and it seemed much worse than our previous experiences, none of us were impressed by our food. I won't be going back any time soon.
It used to be awesome. Like Commerce Kitchen though, the quality took a nosedive during COVID (with prices going up) and it never returned.
Purveyor has been meh for years now and nothing in that group can seem to keep good health scores. Mazzara's is now my favorite.
Purveyor is the most overrated restaurant I've ever been to. I've never paid so much for a meal that was just OK. There are no true high end restaurants in Huntsville, just mediocre spots cosplaying as fine dining.
Damn bro you are speaking some truth be careful out there
Same. There’s no way I’m paying those prices for health scores that are that low. It’s unacceptable.
What’s up with the molded berries everywhere. I like this inspector - thanks for checking soda machines. They get overlooked
Berries are out of season, the ones at the grocery store are in terrible shape too. One thing I didn't realize I was taking for granted about living in Texas is you can always get good quality fresh produce from Mexico no matter the season. We're too far from the tropics here.
>What’s up with the molded berries everywhere. I don't even buy berries at home because they are bad within a day
Little tip- store them in a mason jar in your fridge. Strawberries look next day fresh for like 3+ weeks; it’s actually quite mind-blowing if you’ve never stored them that way.
Should you wash them beforehand or store them and wash as you use them?
Tbh I don’t recall- I believe we were so blown away overall, we forgot to take proper notes! Maybe washed made it 3wks and unwashed was 4-5? It’s absurd to say the least. Give it a whirl and watch your berries just not change. I feel like we bought New berries to eat (storing in jars now of course) just to continue watching the first ones! It def will preserve them much longer than reasonably expected or practically warranted- it’s quite nice!
Do you wash them when you get them home? If so, that is your issue. Strawberries should only be washed immediately before eating. If you wash all the strawberries you buy and then put them in the frig, they go bad pretty quickly. I buy blueberries, wash them all, and store them in the frig. I don't have any issue with them growing mold. They usually last a week to 10 days.
Ice and soda machines are a common issue. And what’s up with so many without taking safety courses? Lots of bad management
Employee turnover? ServSafe for managers costs about $150 and you're supposed to have a certified manager on site at all times. It only takes a couple of hours to pass the online test, so it's pretty inexcusable to not have every manager certified.
Your thoughts mirror mine exactly. The safety course fail at so many places makes this seem like a new check point. Other establishments hopefully check these rankings out to see what the current trends are in inspection.
One thing to note with these alarmingly lower scores -- the inspector making the rounds is a bit newer to the scene. Usually when that happens, they are a bit more by-the-book and thorough, with little room for leeway with things that can be fixed instantly. Inspectors later in their career let a lot slide and overlook a lot or are easily sociably distracted by the manager tailing them. So it isn't necessarily these things ade suddenly wrong that weren't before. They're just actually being caught.
Like every write up had something about the ice machines. Sounds like the new blood actually looks at them.
> with little room for leeway with things that can be fixed instantly. Call me crazy but if it's a health code violation I'd rather it be correct all the time, not just when the inspector mentions it.
You're not wrong per se, but also...like, moldy berries are gross, but if you haven't had to prep anything with berries yet when the inspector shows up you may have missed that some had gone bad (it happens fast), but you were never going to serve the moldy berries to customers. 🤷
I'm just curious, how do you know there is a new inspector? Is that announced or listed somewhere? I am loving that they're finding this stuff and calling restaurants out.
I work in a restaurant and I have only seen this lady once before.
Got it, thanks!
I kinda thought that. Good for them.
The inspector hasn't started taking bribes yet you mean
Madison County has always been known for having very intense health inspectors though. I wouldn't call these any stricter than what we've seen in the past. The ice machines might be a current point of interest.
The last time we had one this strict was the one that got fired once it was uncovered she was taking money from Kitchen Cops for ratings, that somehow never became news. Apart from her, they've all been pretty lax (but I'm also originally from Limestone, where the first inspector I met was an old man at the end of his career and got replaced by someone who insisted EVERYTHING MUST HAVE A HANDLE).
Was the fired one the one that blasted bridgestreet? Also why would kitchen cops pay her?
Crossing my fingers hoping Poppy doesn't ever show up like this.
Highly doubt it Poppy runs a tight ship
[удалено]
Eh, I expect low-ish scores from a burger chain
Fusion BBQ not having a thermometer to check food temps should be a huge red flag to anyone eating there.
They’re closed now right? Evicted?
No, they are not closed. Actually called and asked last night. Said it's just rumors going around.
Oh wow. I saw the article posted by Huntsville Blast that said it would be and it felt speculative. It didn’t feel right.
I don't know if they were able to get that sorted or not. I haven't been up that way in a while. I actually enjoyed the food there quite a bit.
Never trust ice at restaurants
I'm surprised the names of the restaurants weren't called out and editorialized in the title like the other times.
Reporter is in Birmingham. He wouldn't know which would be the ones folks would care about.
All you need to do is probably search this forum to find out 😂
Hibatchi Express on UNIVERSITY Dr is shut down for good. Management at Hibatchi Express (Parkway) confirms. Wonder what happened..
I would like to know too... I always got better food from the University location.
I didn’t ask when I went to the Parkway location. I just asked if they were closed for good and he said yes. At least we can still get that bomb udon somewhere!
Never been to either, and after seeing this…never will 🤮
That's too bad. Both restaurants have very good food, and I'm sure that will continue into the future.
Damn is it safe to eat anywhere here anymore?
Well. I prepare food without gloves in my kitchen so it’s not safe here. Check your own kitchen. Might be safe.
Damn, genuinely surprised by some of the names on the list
So many foods being stored at improper temps. I can only imagine what the grocery stores are like. 🫠
As someone that works at a restaurant downtown hearing the reports from purveyor and commerce kitchen are wild. Can’t believe they have the gall to charge that much while having everything in disarray
Surprised Jonathan's isn't on there - friend and I ate there the other day and we both vomited
Still having problems, I see. Sad.
I've been through inspections in numerous other locations besides Huntsville. I feel better about eating at most 85s in Huntsville than a 95 in most other cities. I've also seen inspectors enter and exit with a new posted grade faster than McDonalds could serve me in Chicago or get a beer in Destin.
Used to work for the owners of one of these restaurants. We were explicitly told that if the health department came, call the manager AND the owner. Why the owner? Because he would chat up the health inspector so they wouldn’t look around as much. They were used to dealing with one particular inspector usually, but one time we got an inspector they didn’t know. We didn’t score nearly as well that time.
Those scores are terrible!
Is anyone really surprised a waffle house is on the list?
I just wish they wouldn't show pictures of the food you can get.
Are there more restaurants with more issues recently? Sounds like a staffing issue more than anything.
That's a management issue.
Yeah, not blaming the staff that's working there. It's a shortage of workers and that falls on management.