Middlesbrough restaurant under new management and bounces back with improved hygiene rating
A Pakistani restaurant in Middlesbrough is celebrating its improved hygiene rating, after an inspection in June deemed it required 'major improvement'.
My Karak Chai, which opened on Linthorpe Road last year, was previously given a rating of one out of a possible five for its management of food safety. Its most recent inspection last month saw the rating jump to three and it was deemed "generally satisfactory" overall.
A spokeswoman for the chain of restaurants said on the day of the inspection in June there was an issue with one of the fridges and it was fixed later in the evening. There were also staffing issues at the time and some temperature records were not up-to-date, she added.
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In the latest inspection by the Food Standards Agency, hygienic food handling, including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage was rated as good. Cleanliness and condition of facilities and the building as well as management of food safety was "generally satisfactory".
A new management and new chef is now working at the restaurant. The spokesperson said records are consistently checked by bosses every day.
Manager of the eatery, Bilal Malik, said they were looking forward to welcoming new customers and continuing to be a part of the Middlesbrough community. "We are very happy to have our new rating," he said.
"We were expecting a five but we were informed by the inspecting officer that due to change of management they have to see the high standards maintained by the new management which means we will be rated higher on our next visit inshallah [God willing]."
Founded in 2019 by Ali Raja in the streets of Manchester, the chain My Karak Chai, which also has venues in Oldham and Newcastle, celebrates the culture, history and heritage of his Pakistani roots. Dishes served are inspired by the cooking of Ali's mother in his home town of Sheikhupura and she helps train staff.
Choices range from desi nashta Pakistani breakfast dishes to street food dishes such as gol gappy, aloo tikki Naan and chicken karahi. The Middlesbrough branch has also started offering homemade pizzas with topping such as tikka and keema.
The restaurant is open from 9.30am until 11pm every day. It also offers loyalty cards and a 10% discount to all members of Teesside University.
My Karak Chai opened in the double unit, previously occupied by the Banana Leaf Chinese buffet, on April 21, last year. The spokeswoman for the chain said they aim to provide a relaxed atmosphere where people are welcome to either drop in for a meal or even just a cup of chai.
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