Expired food found at 2 metro Phoenix restaurants in latest health inspections

Maricopa County health inspectors cited three restaurants for 14 health violations the week of Nov. 24. The violations ranged from expired food in a walk-in fridge to an employee picking up a utensil from the ground and then preparing food with the same gloves on.

A priority violation is a major violation that directly contributes to an increased risk of foodborne illness or injury. If listed in inspection reports, remedies implemented during the inspection are noted.

During the week of Nov. 24, inspectors visited nearly 600 restaurants along with other food-serving facilities in hospitals, senior homes and schools. Nearly 135 restaurants received an A rating. See a sampling of the many restaurants that inspectors graded A at the end of this article.

6 violations

Little O's Restaurant, 521 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix

• An employee had gloves and was handling raw chicken, breading it and placing it into the fryer. The employee then removed the gloves, put on new gloves, grabbed a spatula, and plated a cooked beef burger. The employee was stopped and told to wash hands between tasks.

• An open pan of raw chicken was stored in the walk-in fridge directly over boxes of raw beef. The person in charge rearranged items so that the raw chicken was on the bottom shelf.

• The main chlorine dishwashing machine in the kitchen area was in use during the inspection. The machine was tested three times and no sanitizer was showing. The person in charge primed the machine so that it read between 50-100 ppm chlorine and dishes were rewashed.

• There was a container of tomato soup at 84 F and poutine at 94 F in the hot holding station. The person in charge said they were placed there to reheat at 9 a.m. The person in charge discarded the food.

• There were quinoa, cooked chicken and homemade ranch with milk all dated Nov. 13 in the walk-in refrigerator. The person in charge discarded the items.

• The mop sink had a hose attached to the faucet. A closed nozzle attachment was attached to the hose downstream from the backflow preventer. The person in charge removed the nozzle at the time of inspection and will ensure that all nozzles are removed after use so that pressure is not kept on the backflow preventer, which could cause it to break.

4 violations

Tacos Mi Ranchito Mexican Grill, 6607 S. Central Ave., Phoenix

• An employee picked up a utensil from the ground and with the same gloves started preparing a dish by touching lettuce and cooked shrimp. The employee was asked to wash their hands and dispose of any ready-to-eat foods that were touched.

• Raw pork bacon was stored over numerous ready-to-eat foods in the walk-in cooler. More raw bacon was stored over raw shelled eggs in the fridge in the kitchen. An employee was asked to move the bacon below any ready-to-eat foods.

• Chile rojo, salsa, refried beans, and Seven Seas soup were all in the walk-in cooler at temperatures that were too high. The person in charge disposed of these foods at the time of inspection.

• Temperature-controlled foods with expired dates, including chile verde pork, cooked beef feet, opened Clamato, Seven Seas soup and cooked chicken wings were in the restaurant. An employee voluntarily disposed of these food items at the time of inspection.

More inspections: Phoenix restaurant hit with 7 violations; others cited for sanitary practices

4 violations

El Fenix Bakery, 6219 S. Central Ave., Phoenix

• Raw shelled eggs were stored over buttercream in the reach-in cooler. The person in charge placed the eggs on the bottom of the unit.

• Cooked hominy was stored in the drink cooler located near the front of the establishment at an internal temperature of 45 to 52 F. The person in charge stated it was made Saturday and discarded it.

• Scented bleach was used as the establishment’s sanitizer. The person in charge said there wasn’t any other sanitizer in the restaurant, but would get unscented sanitizer as soon as possible.

• A clay pot was used to hold cooked beef. The person in charge could not provide proof that it was NSF-approved and was instructed to stop using it. The person in charge moved the food to a different container.

Grade A restaurants

Phoenix

• Valle Luna Mexican Food, 16048 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix

• Tea Light Cafe, 7000 E. Mayo Blvd., Suite F1084, Phoenix

• Azool Grill, 3134 W. Carefree Hwy., Suite 3, Phoenix

• Sushi Bros., 8841 N. 19th Ave., Suite 4, Phoenix

• La Oaxaquena Mexican Food, 9822 N. Seventh St., Phoenix

East Valley

• Hackett House, 23 W. Fourth St., Tempe

• Beijing Chinese Restaurant, 2040 S. Alma School Road, Suite 13, Chandler

• Kay's Place, 315 S. Alma School Road, Mesa

• Yuliana's Mexican Food, 2473 S. Higley Road, Suite 103, Gilbert

• Yc's Mongolian Bbq, 752 W. Elliot Road, Tempe

West Valley

• Charley's Steak House, 1187 W. Wickenburg Way, Wickenburg

• Johnny's Chicken and Waffles, 9380 W. Westgate Blvd., Glendale

• Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, 10120 W. McDowell Road, Avondale

• Saddle Mountain Brewing Company, 15651 W. Roosevelt St., Goodyear

• Prickly Perk, 620 W. Wickenburg Way, Wickenburg

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix-area restaurant inspections find 14 violations at 3 businesses