Restaurant Report Card: Wild Crab fails with 56, McCray’s Tavern earns 100

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - On Ponce de Leon Place in DeKalb County, the only thing wilder than the Wild Crab is its health inspection.

The Decatur seafood restaurant failed a routine inspection with only 56 points and a “U” for unsatisfactory. The report says there was slime in the ice scoop holder. Plus, there were live roaches in the kitchen near seasonings for cooking and an employee used the bathroom and then prepared food without washing hands.

“He washed his hands coming out of the restroom, he didn’t wash his hands going back into the kitchen,” Wild Crab Manager Brittney Murphy said.

Atlanta News First asked about the roaches in the kitchen.

“We had someone bring in a bag that actually had roaches,” Murphy said. “They brought their bag in but they come in all the time so they probably just escaped out of the bag and so they multiply rapidly so we did have pest control come out and spray for us.”

It’s not the only problem they have to fix. Atlanta News First noticed that management posted the wrong health inspection score on the wall until we called them out on it.

Now to an update in Cobb County. La Salsa on Veterans Memorial Highway in Austell made some improvements on a reinspection scoring 81 points and a “B,” but still has a roach problem.

And at McCray’s Tavern on the square in downtown Lawrenceville, they earned a 100 on their last health inspection. Congratulations, they are the winner of this week’s Golden Spatula Award. They’ve been around for 16 years. It’s a great neighborhood spot and a classic American tavern with a cozy atmosphere inside. Back in the kitchen, they are working on the mouth-watering burgers, they have tasty sandwiches and large salads, and at the bar they have about 40 taps, so you get your food and drink on while you’re watching your favorite team on game day.

On the menu, you can start out with the buffalo chicken rolls, chicken pot pie and salad, buffalo chicken wings, and the Matador burger which has gouda cheese, BBQ sauce, honey bacon jam and arugula.

“Boy, that’s good,” Adam Murphy, Atlanta News First senior reporter, said.

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