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Fresh Lemon Grass

300A-3107 48 Ave Vernon BC V1T 3R5 · Restaurant - Food Service

Official record from Interior Health →

Inspection summary

Fresh Lemon Grass has been inspected 5 times by Interior Health Authority since September 19, 2014. The most recent inspection, on October 14, 2026, recorded 9 infractions.

1 of 5 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 9 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Protecting food from contamination, Handwashing and staff hygiene and Food temperature control.

Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.

What these findings mean

Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.

  • Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk

    This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.

    Recorded 5 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on October 14, 2026. For example: 5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?

  • Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk

    Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.

    Recorded 4 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on October 14, 2026. For example: 5 Has the operator taken steps to ensure employees are using adequate hygiene measures to prevent contamination of food?

  • Food temperature controlHigher risk

    Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.

    Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on October 14, 2026. For example: 2 Are proper temperature controls maintained to ensure safe storage and display of foods?

  • Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk

    Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.

    Recorded 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on October 14, 2026. For example: 3 Are food contact surfaces, utensils and equipment washed and sanitized in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?

  • Permits, records and postingLower risk

    Operating permits, required signage, written procedures and logs. These findings are administrative: the documentation was missing or out of date at the time of inspection.

    Recorded 2 times on October 14, 2026. For example: 3 Are written food handling procedures (Food Safety Plan) current and available on site?

About this data

These results come from Interior Health Authority, which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.

5 inspections

  1. Monitoring

    9 infractions

    • F1.2 Are proper temperature controls maintained to ensure safe storage and display of foods?
      • Observation(s): F1.2E: Bean sprouts, cut lime, and cilantro are held at room temperature at the pass, sometimes for extended periods (3-4 hours). The products were measured at 15°C at the time of inspection. The small amount of ice used does not provide adequate cooling. Corrective Action: Stock only an amount of sprouts, lime, and cilantro that will be used up in less than 2 total hours. Any perishable food held at 4-60°C or room temperature for 2 total hours or longer is unsafe and must be discarded. The above also applies to all cooked noodles, sprouts, cut vegetable, spring rolls, and all other potentially hazardous foods staged at room temperature. Continue to ensure that holding times are monitored. Control stock and discard any unsafe food.
      • F1.2E Proper procedures must be in place for using time as a public health control at ambient temperatures.
    • F1.5 Has the operator taken steps to ensure employees are using adequate hygiene measures to prevent contamination of food?
      • Observation(s): F1.5: Observed some instances of inadequate handwashing technique. Corrective Action: Wash hands at the designated hand sink near the walk-in cooler. The prep sink at the cook line is not properly equipped for handwashing, should only be used as a last resort. Lather with soap for 15 seconds. Use paper towel to shut off the taps. Retrain staff where necessary.
    • F2.1 Does the facility have proper monitoring supplies?
      • Observation(s): F2.1A: Sanitizer test strips are not available. Corrective Action: Obtain chlorine test strips to monitor sanitizer concentration. Ensure the strips are designed for use in food premises and have a test range of 10-200 ppm.
      • F2.1A Sanitizer test strips must be available for each chemical sanitizer used at the premises.
    • F2.3 Are food contact surfaces, utensils and equipment washed and sanitized in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?
      • Observation(s): F2.3A: Observed one unclean drinking glass stored with clean glassware. Some cloths used to line glassware storage areas are unclean. Sanitized glasses are wiped before use. This can introduce contamination. Corrective Action: Clean and sanitize the affected drinking glass. Remove any unclean cloths. Replace them frequently. Avoid wiping glasses after dishwashing. If wiping of some glassware is required for aesthetic purposes, do so with a clean cloth immediately after dishwashing and launder the cloth right away. Glasses stored at the front should be sanitized and ready to use. F2.3B: Some items washed manually at the pass/front sink are not consistently sanitized. Corrective Action: After washing and rinsing, sanitize items by immersion in bleach solution at 200 ppm chlorine or by spraying all surfaces with 200 ppm bleach solution. Leave to air dry in a clean place. F2.3D: Sanitizer solution in one spray bottle in the kitchen was tested at a very high concentration. Corrective Action: Discard the strong solution. Prepare new sanitizer solution at 200 ppm chlorine (5 mL unscented household bleach per litre of water). Sanitizer solution for fixed surfaces must be prepared at startup and maintained during operation. Replace spray bottle solution daily or when tested below 200 ppm.
      • F2.3A Mechanical dishwasher/glasswasher must provide sufficient washing and sanitizing action to remove contamination.
      • F2.3B Manual dishwashing procedure must provide sufficient washing and sanitizing action to remove contamination.
      • F2.3D Sanitizer solution must be available and kept at the correct levels for adequate sanitizing action.
    • F2.5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?
      • Observation(s): F2.5B: Inadequate cleaning in some areas. Overall sanitation in the restaurant is good. • The wall at the hand sink • Cutlery/napkin trays at the pass Corrective Action: Clean the areas identified. If cleaning is ineffective at the back wall, refinish or repaint. Clean and sanitize the trays. F2.5C: Some food handlers keep used wiping cloths tucked into their apron. Unsanitary practice. Corrective Action: Do not store absorbent cloths in contact with aprons or clothing. Wash hands thoroughly at the hand sink when contamination occurs. Dry cloths for handling hot items can be kept on a clean, neutral surface; replace them once wet or visibly dirty. Cloths for wiping surfaces must be stored immersed in a container of bleach solution at 200 ppm chlorine. Replace wiping cloth solution every 2 hours or more often as needed. F2.5D: Spray bottles are not labeled. Corrective Action: Label all spray bottles to identify their contents. F2.5G: Punctured cans of hoisin sauce are stored at room temperature. The product specifies "refrigerate after opening." Corrective Action: Once food cans are opened or punctured, transfer any unused portion into a covered, food-grade storage container. Store the container of hoisin sauce and any other perishable product under refrigeration at 4°C or colder.
      • F2.5B The premises must be properly constructed and maintained in good, clean and sanitary condition.
      • F2.5C Wiping cloths must be maintained and stored in a sanitary manner.
      • F2.5D Chemicals, cleaners and other agents must be properly labelled and stored separately from food to prevent contamination.
      • F2.5G Foods must be stored in a manner to prevent contamination.
    • F2.6 Are the premises designed and equipped to ensure safe food handling?
      • Observation(s): F2.6G: The walk-in cooler is dimly lit. Corrective Action: Provide brighter lighting inside the walk-in cooler.
      • F2.6G Premises must be provided with artificial lighting that is sufficient to permit sanitary operation and maintenance of the premises.
    • F2.7 Are there handwashing stations available and properly supplied?
      • Observation(s): F2.7A: Cold water is not available at the primary hand sink. The tap at the primary hand sink leaks. The cold water valve was shut off intentionally due to the leak. Corrective Action: Repair the sink so both cold and hot water are supplied and the leak stops. F2.7C: No paper towel at the hand sink. Corrective Action: Refill the dispenser.
      • F2.7A Handwashing station must be supplied with hot and cold running water.
      • F2.7C Handwashing station must be supplied with single-service product for drying hands.
    • F3.3 Are written food handling procedures (Food Safety Plan) current and available on site?
      • Observation(s): F3.3: The Food Safety Plan is not available. Corrective Action: Develop a new Food Safety Plan.
    • F3.4 Are written sanitation procedures (Sanitation Plan) current and available on site?
      • Observation(s): F3.4: The Sanitation Plan is not at the premises. Corrective Action: Develop a new Sanitation Plan.
  2. Monitoring

    5 infractions

    • F1.2 Are proper temperature controls maintained to ensure safe storage and display of foods?
      • Observation(s): Prep cooler was above 4C during the time of inspection. Ensure all coolers are maintained below 4C. Walk in cooler was below 4C.
    • F1.7 Are foods protected from contamination?
      • Observation(s): Do not store raw meats above ready to eat foods - was corrected during the time of inspection. Do not store containers of food directly on the floor of the walk in cooler. Overall food handling practices are good - items stored in the coolers are in proper containers and covered.
    • F2.1 Does the facility have proper monitoring supplies?
      • Observation(s): All cooler and hot holding (rice) temps are required to be documented daily. High temp dishwasher rinse temp is required to be documented daily.
    • F2.5 Are the premises and equipment properly maintained and operated in a sanitary manner (i.e. ongoing maintenance)?
      • Observation(s): Flooring surface in the kitchen is in very poor condition and needs to be replaced in the very near future. Some walls in the kitchen require repairs. The racks in the walk in cooler are rusty and need to be replaced. Operator states that after Christmas the kitchen floor , damaged kitchen walls and rusty racks in the walk in cooler will be addressed.
    • F2.7 Are there handwashing stations available and properly supplied?
      • Observation(s): Ensure handwash basin located in the rear area behind the kitchen is available for handwashing at all times ie. there is no items stored in the basin as this detours handwashing . Soap and paper towels were not available but were addressed during the time of inspection. NOTE the general sink in the kitchen is used for handwashing and had soap and paper towels present.
  3. Monitoring

    3 infractions

    • F1.7 Are foods protected from contamination?
      • Observation(s): Raw meat items in the prep cooler were stored above ready to eat items such as vegetables. Ensure raw meats are stored below ready to eat items. NOTE : other than the concern in the above statement the overall food handling and storage of food items and ingredients was very good. In the walk-in cooler raw meats were all stored on the lowest shelf.
    • F2.1 Does the facility have proper monitoring supplies?
      • Observation(s): The cooler, hot holding , sanitizer and dishwasher temp must be monitored and documented daily.
    • F2.3 Are food contact surfaces, utensils and equipment washed and sanitized in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?
      • Observation(s): High temp dishwasher was not functioning correctly and the rinse cycle did not reach 71C at the dish level. Dishwasher is going to be repaired however the items washed in the unit must be sanitized in the large pot sink with 100ppm bleach solution or 200ppm quats solution for a min 2 minutes. Bleach solution used in sanitizer bottle had 100ppm present.
  4. Monitoring

    5 infractions

    • F1.4 - Are proper refrigeration, freezing and thawing procedures followed?
      • Observation(s): Temperatures good. However: * return to maintaining daily temperature logs of coolers and freezers. * install NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) accurate thermometers inside the units (condiment cooler on the cook-line, freezer chest, etc.).
      • F1.4B - Accurate thermometers must be provided to monitor equipment.
    • F2.3 - Are equipment, food contact surfaces and utensils washed, sanitized and stored in a manner that removes/prevents contamination?
      • Observation(s): Maintain a daily Dishwashing Monitoring Log for the High Temperature Dishwasher (hot water sanitizing cycle temperature of 82° C) and Sanitizer strength in spray bottles (200 ppm). Checked chlorine bleach strength in spray bottle, good at 200 ppm. *Obtain chlorine test strips for daily monitoring, as discussed. *Verify dishwasher final rinse temperature when in full use after the lunch period.
    • F2.4 - Are foods handled in a sanitary manner and protected from contamination?
      • Observation(s): *One knife is stored between a table and wall to be cleaned, sanitized and stored with the other knives on the knife rack. *The ice scoop is stored in the ice machine. Remove and store in a proper container.
      • F2.4A - The operator must ensure that all food, supplies and equipment on the premises is protected from contamination.
    • F3.4 - Are the premises, equipment and utensils designed and maintained to ensure safe and sanitary food handling?
      • Observation(s): F3.4B * The Upright Freezer is under repair for a replacement part on re-order. Prior to stocking foods, ensure the freezer is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Ensure it is recalibrated to -18° C by the qualified professional. F3.4C * The single product sink requires a silicone seal along the splash-back and wall.
      • F3.4B - All equipment, utensils and food contact surfaces used on the premises must be kept in good working order to ensure the safe and sanitary handling of food.
      • F3.4C - The premises must be properly constructed and maintained in good, clean and sanitary condition.
    • F3.5 - Are there handwashing stations available and properly supplied?
      • Observation(s): Ensure adequate soap and paper towel in storage to replace the dispensers at the hand sink and double sink when emptied.
  5. Monitoring

    0 infractions

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