From Jan. 29 to Feb. 6, the state health department inspected a few restaurants in the Annandale area. For prior restaurant inspection reports, click here.

In Virginia, restaurant inspection reports aren't quite as simple as getting a letter grade or an easy-to-see number rating to post in the front window.

That said, we all want to know how our favorite restaurants stack up on cleanliness and sanitation. Inspectors grade restaurants based on critical and non-critical violations.

A "critical violation" is one that "poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served." Non-critical violations are generally related to cleaning or maintenance.

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," according to Virginia Department of Health's website.

The site continues: "Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term cleanliness of an establishment."

Below, find the latest restaurant inspection from the Virginia Department of Health. These inspections reflect visits from inspectors during the last few weeks. Some of the violations were corrected immediately during the recent inspections.

The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

Rainbow Catering
7326-B Little River Turnpike
Date of inspection: Feb. 5
Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Open drinking containers stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Observed that paper towels were not provided at each handwashing sink.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Plastic containers were found stored uncovered outside.
Non-critical (corrected during inspection): Plastic containers were observed stored unprotected in the locker room.

Red Holic
7123 Little River Turnpike
Date of inspection: Feb. 4
Critical (corrected during inspection): There is no Certified Food Manager present at the beginning of the inspection.
Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Open drinking containers stored in a manner that may contaminate food, food contact surfaces or utensils. Open drinks stored on shelf above food prep table.
Critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee was observed eating, smoking, or drinking in an area other than designated break area while preparing/handling food or contacting clean food contact surfaces. Observed employee drinking at the grill.
Critical (corrected during inspection): A food employee failed to wash his or her hands before engaging in food preparation, after touching bare human body parts, after coughing, sneezing, eating, after handling soiled utensils, or after engaging in any activity that could contaminate the hands. Observed employees not washing hands prior to putting gloves on.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Observed food employees using improper handwashing procedures. Observed employees rinsing gloves after handling raw chicken.
Non-critical: Unlabeled food containers with the following food items that are not easily identified by appearance: Olive oil, soy sauce.
Non-critical: Observed items intended for household use only and are not approved for use in a commercial food establishment.
Non-critical: Absence of no-smoking signs or international no-smoking signs in non-smoking area.

Mama’s Chicken
6257 Little River Turnpike
Date of inspection: Feb. 1
Critical (corrected during inspection): There is no Certified Food Manager present at the beginning of the inspection.
Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Observed two food employees handle raw beef with gloved hand, then fail to wash hands before putting on a new pair of gloves.
Critical: Raw animal food stored over ready-to-eat food in the following refrigeration unit: 1) Observed raw beef (that was not frozen when placed in freezer), being stored over vegetables in the Turbo Air 1DR upright freezer, 2) Observed raw chicken & beef (that was not frozen when placed in freezer) being stored over yucca in the chest freezer, 3) Observed raw chicken being stored over cooked pork soup in the walkin cooler.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Some equipment/utensils were observed soiled to sight and touch.
Critical (corrected during inspection): Some food items at the Henny Penny steam table were found hot holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device.
Critical: Some food items were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device.
Non-critical: Methods used for cooling were not adequate to facilitate proper cooling.
Non-critical: Food stored on the floor and/or food stored less than six inches off the floor.
Non-critical: Manufacturer black pepper container was observed reused for the storage of hot sauce.
Non-critical: The door gaskets of the following unit(s) are (missing, damaged): walkin cooler.
Non-critical: Refrigeration unit is not operating properly and is unable to maintain cold food at or below 41 degrees.
Non-critical: The nonfood-contact surfaces of the following equipment had accumulations of grime and debris: 1) Gaskets on coolers, 2) Hood filters.
Non-critical: Observed that the following is in need of cleaning: 1) Wall in the back prep area and mop sink area. 2) Ceiling vents.