Premises Information


	Return to Inspections

Name

CULINARY DROPOUT

Address

1120 S TRYON ST

STE 100

City/State/ZIP

CHARLOTTE

28203

Premise Type

1 - Restaurant

County

Mecklenburg

Inspection Date

10/21/2026

Final Score @ Grade

95.50

General Comments

- Facility has an approved HACCP plan for cook chill/ROP of sauces, gravy, and some TCS foods such as mashed potatoes and pork as of Sept. 2025. Following conversations with the PIC it was discovered that the facility does not currently use the process that was approved in the HACCP plan. PIC stated that they do currently utilize the sealing machine and do seal the products above into sealed bags but the items are not placed into the bags hot. Process is to cook the items above and allow them to fully cool down in the WIC or blast chiller, not being placed into any bags while hot. Only when fully cooled down are items placed in bags with all items except the BBQ pork being placed into sealed bags on an as needed basis. PIC stated that with fondue for example they will keep the fondue in large insert containers in the WIC and then when they need to refill the containers at the hot holding wells at the cookline they will portion some into a bag, use the sealing machine to seal the bag, and reheat the item in a hot water bath. Cooked BBQ pork is the only item that is stored in a sealed bag but PIC stated that it is not placed into the sealed bags until the day after it is cooked and cooled down. Bags are not true ROP as there is air observed inside the sealed bags. **New PIC stated that they are planning on starting to utilize the HACCP plan soon as they have recently started acquiring the equipment that the facility previously lacked to properly do the cook/chill process. Above information is still accurate for current process in the facility as of 10/21/26 but PIC stated they intend to start training staff and utilizing the HACCP process but it has been more difficult recently as the PIC has been bouncing between this location and the Ballantyne location that is opening up early Nov. 2026.**

Violations

CDI=Corrected During Inspection

R=Repeat Violation

VR=Verification Required

Violation Item	Demerits	Violation Description	CDI	R	VR	Comments
15	0	Food separated & protected	Yes	No	No	3-302.11(A)(1) Separate raw animal foods from ready-to-eat foods and washed/unwashed fruits and vegetables. -P - Observed a container of raw burger patties to be stored behind insert containers of RTE cheeses in the refrigerated drawer beneath the flattop grill. CDI - Storage order rearranged. For more information on food storage order please visit: https://health.mecknc.gov/envhealth/food-and-facilities-sanitation
21	3	Proper hot holding temperatures	Yes	Yes	No	3-501.16(A)(1) Maintain TCS foods in hot holding at 135F or above. -P - Observed an insert container of mashed potatoes to be hot holding in the tabletop steamtable adjacent the fryers at temperatures of 110-130F. PIC stated that it gets reheated at approximately. 10:30am prior to being placed into the steamtable. REPEAT. CDI - Mashed potatoes rapidly reheated to 165F on the stovetop. For more information, please visit: www.mecknc.gov/foodsafety or view our training videos at the following weblinks: What are TCS Foods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0iLZb7v0UM and Safe Food Temperatures https://youtu.be/tXP09IK-1TQ .
23	1.50	Proper date marking & disposition	No	No	Yes	3-501.17 (A) or (B) Date mark/label all TCS foods that are ready-to-eat once opened or prepared and are to be held for more than 24 hours. -Pf. Establish a date marking system consistent with 3-501.17 (A) or (B). Additional date marking system options are found in 3-501.17 (D). - Observed the facility to lack a date marking system for the items at the cookline. Items found without date marks in various refrigerators at the cookline include: roasted asparagus, pico de gallo, corn, guacamole (w/ diced tomatoes), chicken tacos (w/ cooked chicken), blanched broccolini, blanched bok choy, roasted eggplants, cooked spinach, cooked spiral pasta, and house made buttermilk ranch. All items were prepared the day prior or were from a bulk batch that was appropriately date marked in the WIC and within its 7 day date marking period. Date marking on items throughout the WIC and other areas of the kitchen is satisfactory. Date marks placed onto all items at the cookline at the time of the inspection. 10 day VR to observe date marking system implemented for cookline working containers. For more information, please visit: www.mecknc.gov/foodsafety or view our training videos at the following weblinks: What are TCS Foods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0iLZb7v0UM and Date Marking Food Safely https://youtu.be/BOPsSNUajYs .
41	0	Wiping cloths: properly used & stored	Yes	No	No	3-304.14(B) Hold in-use wiping cloths in properly concentrated sanitizer between uses. - Observed 2 wiping cloth buckets to be testing <50ppm wuaternary ammonia at the cookline/prep areas of the kitchen. CDI - Wiping cloth buckets emptied and refilled with properly concentrated 250ppm solution.
43	0	In-use utensils: properly stored	Yes	No	No	3-304.12 (A) In-use utensils in TCS food, must be stored with handles above the food and top of the food container. - Observed a metal spoon to be stored inside a container of honey mustard at the pizza station with the handle fully submerged into the product. CDI - Utensil removed.