Restaurants: Assisted-living facility still not in compliance; 3 in the red

Jul. 26—Tender Heart failed a follow-up inspection after a previous closure. Rodent activity is still an issue. Copper Canyon Café was downgraded for issues including uncovered food, lack of date markings, and a malfunctioning dishwasher.

Vara failed a follow-up inspection but passed a subsequent follow-up inspection. Blake's on Montgomery and ABC Preschool are back in the green after previous closures. Taqueria El Dorado and Eat My Thai Cuisine are back in the green after previous downgrades.

GREEN

Albuquerque Job Corps Center, 1500 Indian School NW (July 20)

YDI Job Corps CDC, 1500 Indian School NW (July 20)

Christy Maes, 1400 San Pedro NE (July 19)

Sheraton Uptown, 2600 Louisiana NE (July 18)

Camino Retirement Apartments, 12101 Lomas NE (July 20)

Blakes Lotaburger, 3806 Montgomery NE (July 20)

Geckos Bar, 5801 Academy NE (July 18)

Precious Moments Childcare Center, 6711 Churchill SW (July 19)

ABC Preschool, 801 98th Street SW (July 21)

Kaps, 5801 Central NE (July 19)

Panaderia Zaragoza, 803 98th Street SW (July 21)

Subway, 5525 Gibson SE (July 20)

Hudson News, 2200 Sunport SE (July 18)

Smiths Fuel Station, 6941 Montgomery NE (July 19)

Taqueria El Dorado, 1402 Broadway SE (July 21)

Urban 360 Eatery, 2119 Menaul NE (July 18)

Twins A & V Daycare Center, 1216 4th Street SW (July 20)

Vara (bar and food processor), 315 Alameda NE (July 21)

El Taco Loco, 1725 Broadway SE (July 22)

John's Pharmacy, 9134 Central SE (July 19)

Hanmi, 2120 Juan Tabo NE (July 18)

Kristy's Yum Yums, 8011 Central NE (July 22)

Lizard Tail Brewing at Cantero, 3351 Columbia NE (July 19)

McDonald's, 8501 Golf Course NW (July 18)

My Little World, 303 Old Coors SW (July 18)

Big Lots, 9500 Montgomery NE (July 18)

Cold Stone Creamery, 3703 Ellison NW (July 20)

Professional Kids, 6306 Central SW (July 20)

La Zenita Restaurant, Central NW (July 18)

McDonald's, 300 Lomas NE (July 18)

Dragon Wok, 8060 Academy NE (July 20)

Crème de la Crème, 1909 Bellamah NW (July 19)

Nena's Mexican Food, 5420 Central SW (July 18)

Eat My Thai Cuisine, 5303 Gibson SE (July 19)

RED

Copper Canyon Café, 5455 Gibson SE (July 20)

Result: Downgrade

Observed person in charge failed to demonstrate basic food safety knowledge by receiving multiple priority foundation violations that resulted in a downgrade of facility at the time of inspection. The facility is downgraded to unsatisfactory due to priority, priority foundation and core violations found at the time of inspection.

Observed pinto beans, red chile and rice stored inside walk in refrigerator uncovered and unprotected. Observed dish machine chlorine concentration below required 100 ppm. Observed build up in ice machine. Alcohol swab was used to wipe the gasket on the inside of the machine and came back dirty.

Observed multiple food items such as red chile sauce, cooked rice, cooked ground beef, chopped cucumbers, cooked pinto beans, shredded cheddar stored inside walk in refrigerator with no date marking.

Observed employee preparing salads with bracelets on in salad station located in servers' area. Observed employee preparing food in kitchen with long beard.

Observed multiple used wiping cloths stored in multiple areas inside main kitchen line.

Observed employee drink stored on prep table next to cutting board inside kitchen. Also observed employee drinks stored above cherry tomatoes and ice bin in servers' station. Observed employee eating on cutting board inside kitchen main line.

Observed shelving in back prep area with substantial debris build up. Observed floor drain in back prep area with substantial build up causing the floor drain to not drain properly. Observed substantial debris build up under kitchen equipment in main kitchen, back prep area, dry storage, catering closet, ice machine, dish machine. Observed back prep area walls with substantial food debris build up. Observed inadequate lighting inside walk in refrigerator. Observed substantial gap in hood vent above main kitchen line.

Observed cellphone stored on prep table in back prep area. Observed employees on kitchen line unable to properly wash hands due to hand soap dispenser non operational. Observed automatic hand soap dispenser non operational on main kitchen line.

Tender Heart, 4308 Tulane NE (July 20)

Result: Not in compliance.

Observed rodent droppings present inside cabinets southeast corner, and outside the cabinets on the south side. Facility stated they had vacuumed and cleaned the area the night before. Showing that activity is still present. Reminded facility they must not vacuum or sweep the droppings, and urine to prevent aersolization of contaminants.

Observed large gap at the base of the back door leading to the outside. Facility had previously attached foam to the door frame but was inadequately sealing gap.

Observed gap at the southeast corner of cabinets with rodent droppings and wood shavings present, multiple holes into the wall in utility room, hole into the wall in dry good storage area at electrical/plumbing line.

Observed hand washing sink with sanitizer bucket stored in the sink basin.

Vara (food service bar, food processor), 315 Alameda NE (July 19)

Result: Not in compliance; passed follow up inspection

Observed gaps along the bottom of garage doors leading to the outside. Observed door frame around back door with gaps around the bottom of the door frame allowing for opening into establishment. Observed significant rodent droppings in areas such as by dry goods storage, at the wall behind low boy coolers, ware-washing machine, retail wine/hostess room and throughout the storage area at pallets. Observed water leaks with pooling water from air conditioning and plant irrigation system in the back area next to building. Observed gaps/holes along the outside of the building into the wall at seams, at ground junctures, plumbing lines, electrical lines and areas where stucco had come off exposing opening. Observed plumbing system by bathrooms not fully draining into floor drain pooling.

Observed multiple areas of the ceiling with fiberglass insulation exposed, dangling and unattached above dining room, cooking area, bar, and storage areas.

Observed holes, gaps, areas with access points in and out of the walls. These were throughout facility, in areas such as in storage behind ice machine along plumbing line and at structural support on the east side next to dry goods storage area, and dining room.

Observed corrugated metal wall not fully attached, or unfastened with exterior wall access point at the north east corner.

These are summaries of Albuquerque Environmental Health restaurant inspections. For more information, or to view a searchable database of city restaurant inspections, visit the Environmental Health's inspection results page here.

For questions or concerns, please contact retail reporter Cathy Cook at ccook@abqjournal.com.