Improper temperatures, expired food among latest health violations at metro Phoenix restaurants

Kunle Falayi and Michael Braga, Arizona Republic
·3 min read

Maricopa County health inspectors cited two restaurants for eight health violations during the week of Dec. 1. The violations ranged from tomato sauce and pizza toppings that had to be discarded to an employee touching an apron and then touching pizzas without washing their hands.

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 Dec. 1, inspectors visited more than 1,400 restaurants along with other food-serving facilities in hospitals, senior homes and schools. Nearly 280 restaurants received an "A" rating. See a sampling of the many restaurants who received that grade from inspectors at the end of this article.

4 violations

il Capo Pizzeria, 7366 E. Shea Blvd., Suite 102, Scottsdale

  • An employee at the pizza station added ready-to-eat dry basil to ready-to-eat pizza for customers with bare hands. The employee was instructed on proper glove usage and when bare-hand contact is approved in making pizzas.

  • No detectable chlorine sanitizer was in the main dishwashing machine at the time of inspection. The machine was primed with a proper chlorine concentration of 50-100 parts per million.

  • Temperature-controlled foods — spinach and soft cheeses — were observed at the pizza station, in the cold holding unit with internal temperatures of 50F. An employee reported they were there for more than four hours. The food was discarded.

  • Tomato sauce for pizza was at the pizza station without a date mark. An employee said the date of preparation was unknown. The sauce was discarded.

4 violations

Mimi Forno Italiano, 3624 W. Baseline Road, Suite S-174, Laveen

  • An employee touched an apron and then touched pizzas without washing hands. Another washed dirty dishes and touched clean dishes without washing hands. Both employees were told to wash their hands at the time of inspection.

  • An employee touched lemons and placed them on the rims of iced tea glasses with bare hands. Employee was told to wash hands, use gloves or tongs.

  • Cooked lasagna, cooked alfredo cream sauce, cooked chicken broth, cooked Bolognese, raw salmon, raw squid, cooked mushrooms, cooked sausage, cooked marinara sauce and cooked meatballs were all observed at 46-53F in the reach-in cooler closest to the dishwasher. The person in charge said all the items were placed in the cooler more than 4 hours before the inspection. All items were discarded at the time of the inspection.

  • Cooked lasagna with a preparation date of Nov. 22 cooked pasta noodles with a preparation date of Nov. 19 were in the reach-in cooler. The items were embargoed at the time of inspection.

Grade A restaurants

Phoenix

  • El Tacazo Inc, 5239 S. Central Ave., Phoenix

  • Flaming Wok, 7611 W. Thomas Road, Phoenix

  • Lennys Burger Central, 2530 N. Central Ave., Phoenix

  • Osteria Mia, 2530 W. Happy Valley Road, Suite 1269-1271, Phoenix

  • George Yang's Chinese Cuisine, 6048 N. 16th St., Phoenix

Scottsdale

  • Duke's Sports Bar & Grill, 7607 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale

  • Dirty Dogg Saloon, 10409 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale

  • Jalapeno Inferno Ghost Kitchen, 7605 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Suite D1, Scottsdale

  • Habanero's Mexican Grill & Cantina, 10392 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 103, Scottsdale

  • Ciao Grazie Pizzeria Winebar, 18835 N. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale

East Valley

  • Bahama Bucks, 303 E. Southern Ave., Suite 101, Mesa

  • Los Favoritos Taco Shop, 727 W. Ray Road, Suite B-5, Gilbert

  • Serrano's, 22703 S. Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek

  • Desert Flame, 11145 E. Apache Trail, Apache Junction

  • Chou's Kitchen, 910 N. Alma School Road, Chandler

West Valley

  • Pullano's Pizza Inc, 13848 N. 51st Ave., Glendale

  • Ji Michael's Diner, 13039 N. 103rd Ave., Sun City

  • The Brookside Sports Bar & Grille, 15170 W. Bell Road, Suite 115, Surprise

  • Dino's Greek & Italian Grill, 1550 N. Dysart Road, Suite B-8, Goodyear

  • Tailgaters Sports Grill & IL Primo Pizza & Wings, 457 S. Watson Road, Buckeye

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Metro Phoenix restaurant inspections result in 4 violations each for 2