TODAY Show Loves LA's Letter Grade System

Not to alarm you or anything, but there are rats and other contaminants getting into your food. Oh, yes, people. The food. Today The TODAY show followed LA Health Department inspector Peter Keshishian around to a few local restaurants to see how he pokes and prods foodstuffs before handing out letter grades that tell us when a restaurant is dirty. One restaurant, though no mention of which one, had open hot dogs sitting in a big of raw chicken. Mmm mmmm, good. After the ride-along, Matt Lauer interviewed NYC chef David Burke for his suggestions on how to "become your own advocate" for clean restaurants. Some highlights: Look at the sidewalk, the parking lot, the bathroom, and even ask your server if the kitchen is clean because, you know, "the waiter is working for the customer," so of course they'll tell you that the kitchen is a nasty cesspool of bacteria and sick.
· How Safe is Your Food? [MSN/TODAY]
· Shudder of the Week: Where Does Your Food Come From? [Eater LA]