Xin Jiang BBQ Restaurant - Cheap food first, sanitation later

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Date visited: November 17, 2012

Time: 1:30 am (Late night snack after watching Skyfall)

Party Size: 3

Price: About $15 split evenly between 3 people, before tax and tips

Food consumed by party: 
- BBQ Lamb Skewer - $2.50 x6
- Sprout with Garlic Sauce - $9.99
- Beef with Garlic & Chili Sauce - $9.99
- Pitcher of Amber (It tasted cheap and was cheap, forgot the price of the pitcher)

Pictures of food consumed: (Click on images to enlarge)

Sprout with garlic sauce

Supposedly a local beer called Amber

Beef with garlic and chili sauce. The soup was very oily and was not spicy at all.

Lamb skewers. Tasted saltier than the Dead Sea.

Review of Restaurant:

• Why did I come to this restaurant?

This is not my first time here, probably my second or third visit. This is one of my buddies' favourite restaurant. Known for their lamb skewers and cheap beer, a beer none of my friends heard of. 

• What did I think of the service?

The service was alright. The employees were laid back, playing games on their cell phones. We felt bad asking for service since they probably lost a life in their game.

• How did my sensitive stomach feel?
  

Good question to ask. The only near death experience was eating the beef with garlic and chili sauce. First concern was that it would be too spicy, which was not. Secondly, it was very oily. But no problem encountered.

• What about the City of Toronto Inspection Report?

(Click on image to enlarge)

Source: http://www.toronto.ca/health/dinesafe/index.htm?show=detail&id=100944

First inspection performed on April 20, 2011, it received a conditional pass. A common grading for restaurants opened by Chinese people, especially from Mainland China. It was expected nonetheless.

April 20, 2011
- Failed to clean urinals as often but was corrected during inspection. Felt bad for the person doing this. But your fault since you have so much time playing games and leaving things to the last minute.
- Operator failed to provide washroom supplies: wondered how the person cleaned the urinals.

Common infractions
- Operator fail to properly wash surfaces/maintain in room is a common one failed on April 20, 2011 and March 27, 2012
- Operator fail to properly wash equipment on July 18, 2012 and October 19, 2012.
- People forget and need to be educated on proper sanitation. You'd think that the employees would have time to clean especially when they clearly have time to play games.

Let's put ourselves in each others' shoes for a second. If you are paid minimum wage or even below, you wouldn't really care about maintaining the premises. Obviously, you are not being compensated enough. Blame the owners for not paying the employees enough and educating them on how to maintain the restaurant according to basic sanitation standards.

VERDICT: JerJai's Seal of Approval. I will be back but my stomach will not have mercy for any slight stomach upsets.