The recent Kamala Mills fire wrecked havoc in the lives of several people, especially in the families of 14 people who passed away that night. Who knew that just being in a rooftop pub could take away your life?
* Assess the entranceFirst impressions can be meaningful, especially if you’re assessing a restaurant. Always check if menus are clean or showing signs of the previous customers’ food choices. This attention to detail can give you an insight into the restaurant’s general attitude to cleanliness and customer safety.
* Check out the barWeekends can get quite crowded and most of us end up waiting at the bar. There are a lot of signs to look for that can tell you how seriously the restaurant takes your health and well-being. Pay attention to the bar and the bartender. Watch to see that the bartender washes his or her hands between handling things like a lemon-wedge garnish. Are milk and juice left out or put back in the fridge?
* Scout the washroomsCheck to see if the washroom has hot water, soap and paper towels. It’s a good sign if the handwashing station in the kitchen is also properly outfitted. Your nose will also tell you a lot. If the washroom smells like sewage, there could be critical drainage problems in the kitchen as well.
* Ask about fire safetyEven before you ask for menus, check about fire safety precautions. Ask for ‘Fire Safety Permit’ and if the restaurant doesn’t have one, simply walk out and let everyone know! It can save not just your own but several lives.
* Look at the cutleryIt may seem like a convenience, but a dishwasher can play an important role in food safety, because cutlery, plates and glassware get sanitized with hot water that kills wayward germs. So if the cutlery and glasses have dried-on food, fingerprints, grease smudges or lipstick marks, it can mean that there’s a breakdown in a key cleaning system. And if the marks from other diners are visible, just imagine what they might have left behind that you can’t see.