Aster Cafe

Year by year

Inspections

1. Sep 3, 2026 Routine Score 94
   • Not serious Priority 3

     Clean all physical facilities (floors, walls, ceilings). Keep them clean.

     Ceiling tiles in kitchen and back prep kitchen contain dust and debris. Caulking at dish machine is blackened with mold. Clean and maintain clean.

     Code MN Rule 4626.1520A

   • Not serious Priority 3

     Non-food contact surfaces of equipment must be made of materials which are corrosion-resistant, non-absorbent, and smooth. Remove equipment with non-food contact surfaces made of other materials.

     Wet wiping cloths are used beneath cutting boards. This is not approved. Provide a non-absorbent cleanable replacement.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0495

   • Not serious Priority 3

     Keep the physical facilities in good repair.

     Ceiling tiles are missing in prep kitchen, replace.

     Code MN Rule 4626.1515

   • Not serious Priority 2

     Use effective cooling methods to cool TCS foods.

     Observed foods cooling in small containers tightly wrapped. Confirmed stock time and instructed chef to remove plastic wrap and monitor cooling temperatures.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0390A

   • Not serious Priority 3

     Provide containers for food or beverages prepared for takeout or to be eaten immediately. Containers must be reuseable, recyclable or compostable.

     Observed black plastic takeout containers. These are not recyclable. Recyclable plastic are numbered 1,2 or 5 and cannot be black. Guidance document provided with report.

     Code MCO 204.30A

   • Serious Priority 1

     Keep all cold TCS foods at 41 degrees F or colder under mechanical refrigeration.

     Observed half & half in event bar cooler to be 48F. Instructed management to discard all dairy from this cooler. The only TCS items in the cooler were half & half, keep all TCS items at 41F or below.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0395A2

   • Not serious Priority 3

     All equipment and components must be in good repair. Keep them maintained to manufacturer's specifications.

     Event bar cooler is not holding at 41F. Reduce temperature and monitor, repair if needed.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0735AB

2. Sep 4, 2025 Routine Score 98
   • Not serious Priority 3

     Clean all physical facilities (floors, walls, ceilings). Keep them clean.

     Caulking at dish machine is blackened with mold. Ceiling tiles and wall by hot hold/smoker cabinet are stained. Clean and maintain clean.

     Code MN Rule 4626.1520A

   • Not serious Priority 3

     Remove all multi-use equipment, utensils, and food storage containers that are not: • Smooth • Easily cleanable • Durable • Nonabsorbent • In good condition

     Observed non-food grade tupperware containers used to store food. Food is in direct contact with the containers. These materials are not designed to hold food and may leech chemicals. They cannot withstand the repeated washing and sanitizing conducted in restaurants. Remove and replace with approved, food safe, containers. Discussed replacement with chef.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0450BCDE

   • Not serious Priority 3

     Non-food contact surfaces of equipment must be made of materials which are corrosion-resistant, non-absorbent, and smooth. Remove equipment with non-food contact surfaces made of other materials.

     Observed wet wiping cloths used to stabilize cutting boards. This is not approved. Used a mat that is non-absorbent and easily cleanable.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0495

   • Not serious Priority 2

     Keep at each handwashing sink or group of adjacent handwashing sinks one of: • A supply of disposable towels • A continuous towel system • An approved air temperature hand drying device

     Paper towels were not stocked at both kitchen handwash sinks. Towels stocked per inspector request. Make sure that paper towels are stocked when operating.

     Code MN Rule 4626.1445

   • Not serious Priority 3

     Keep the physical facilities in good repair.

     Ceiling tiles missing in prep kitchen. Replace.

     Code MN Rule 4626.1515

3. Sep 5, 2024 Routine Score 96
   • Serious Priority 1

     Keep all cold TCS foods at 41 degrees F or colder under mechanical refrigeration.

     Fried chickpeas are kept at room temperature. Intention is for chickpeas to remain crispy after baking so place them under refrigeration is not a viable option. Discussed how to use time as a control for this. Template provided with report.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0395A2

   • Not serious Priority 3

     Clean all physical facilities (floors, walls, ceilings). Keep them clean.

     Caulking at dish machine area is heavily blackened with mold. Clean and sanitize. If mold is unable to be removed during cleaning remove caulking, sanitize an re-caulk.

     Code MN Rule 4626.1520A

   • Not serious Priority 3 Corrected on site

     Thaw TCS food by one of the following methods: • Inside a refrigerator • Kept completely under running water of 70 degrees F or less. The food must remain at 41 degrees F or less. • In a microwave oven • As part of the cooking process

     Observed cooked frozen mushrooms thawing on table. Mushrooms were observed to still be frozen. Discussed approved thawing methods with staff. Staff moved mushrooms to refrigeration to continue thawing. Comply to above rule.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0380ABC

   • Not serious Priority 3

     Remove all multi-use equipment, utensils, and food storage containers that are not: • Smooth • Easily cleanable • Durable • Nonabsorbent • In good condition

     Observed many non-food contact grade Tupperware containers in walk-in cooler. These materials are not designed to be in contact with food and in addition may leach chemicals into food after the repeated washing and sanitizing methods conducted in the restaurant. Discussed with chef. Remove and replace with equipment designed for food contact. Charcuterie boards are wooden and used as a food contact surface. These are not able to be sanitized. Discontinue using as a food contact surface.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0450BCDE

   • Not serious Priority 3

     Non-food contact surfaces of equipment must be made of materials which are corrosion-resistant, non-absorbent, and smooth. Remove equipment with non-food contact surfaces made of other materials.

     Observed cloth towels used beneath cutting boards. Cloth towels are wet, absorbent and at room temperature- this is an ideal mechanism for microbial growth. Discontinue this practice and obtain cutting board stabilizers that meet the above criteria. Discussed options with chef.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0495

4. Aug 31, 2023 Routine Score 86
   • Serious Priority 1

     Make sure all ready-to-eat foods and garnishes are not touched with bare hands.

     An employee was observed using bare hand contact when cutting garnish for the bar. Discontinue.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0225A

   • Not serious Priority 2 Corrected on site

     Have hand soap at all handwashing sinks.

     Soap was missing at the corner bar hand sink. Stock.

     Code MN Rule 4626.1440

   • Not serious Priority 2 Corrected on site

     Keep at each handwashing sink or group of adjacent handwashing sinks one of: • A supply of disposable towels • A continuous towel system • An approved air temperature hand drying device

     Paper toweling was not stock at the corner hand sink at the bar. Stock.

     Code MN Rule 4626.1445

   • Not serious Priority 2 Corrected on site

     Keep handwashing sinks accessible at all times. Make sure they are only used for handwashing.

     The corner bar handwashing sink was used as a dump sink. Discontinue.

     Code MN Rule 4626.1110AB

   • Not serious Priority 3 Corrected on site

     Store in-use food preparation and serving utensils only on clean, sanitized surfaces.

     In use knives were stored in the corner crack of the prep shelving. Discontinue. This storage area is not easily cleanable.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0275C

   • Serious Priority 1

     Keep all cold TCS foods at 41 degrees F or colder under mechanical refrigeration.

     The following items were measured above 41 F: -Salmon 44 F in the Tru kitchen prep cooler. -Cole slaw 43 F, cheese 43 F, shrimp 48 F, tri tip 49 F in the Blu Coin prep cooler. Discarded. -Mushrooms 45 F in the upright cooling in the corner of the kitchen. Units were adjusted. If they do not maintain food at 41 F or below, have the units serviced.

     Code MN Rule 4626.0395A2