White and dark organic matter on chili peppers and cucumbers found in latest health inspections

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

Maricopa County health inspectors cited four restaurants for a total of 16 health violations during the week of Sept. 8. The violations ranged from employees cutting cabbage without washing hands to cooked ham, sliced cheese, lettuce, canned mushrooms, and sliced tomatoes sitting out of the refrigerator for hours before they were discarded.

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

During the week of Sept. 8, inspectors visited 925 restaurants along with other food-serving facilities in hospitals, senior homes and schools. More than 120 restaurants received an A rating. See a sampling of the many restaurants that inspectors graded A at the end of this article.

4 violations

Mike Kwans Golden Coin, 3224 E. Thomas Road, Phoenix

  • An employee handled dirty dishes with tightly gloved hands at a dishwashing machine and then started to make food on the cookline without washing hands. Another employee came in from outside the restaurant and cut cabbage without washing hands. Another employee cracked raw, unpasteurized eggs into a wok and then handled clean utensils and cook on the line without washing hands. All the employees were instructed to wash hands before switching tasks.

  • A container of raw unpasteurized eggs, some with egg white stuck to the surface, was stored above an open container of broccoli in the prep fridge on the cookline. An employee moved the eggs to the bottom shelf.

  • Fried chicken sat in fryer basket at ambient temperature above fryer in the kitchen at 103-116F. Pieces of fried pork in a metal bowl were also sitting at ambient temperature at 110-125F. The food items were refried to 165F before they were placed on the hold line at 135F

  • A hose end equipped with a shut off valve spray nozzle that was connected downstream from atmospheric vacuum breaker did not have an approved testable backflow prevention device at the mop sink faucet. The person in charge removed the hose at the time of the inspection.

W M Sacks & Co, 4247 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix

  • Employees washed their hands for less than 5 seconds. They were told to wash their hands for 10-15 seconds.

  • An employee placed raw bacon on the stove top using tightly gloved hands and then started to cut open avocado for a customer’s sandwich without washing hands or removing gloves. The employee was instructed to wash hands before continuing with the sandwich.

  • Soup was in the hot holding unit behind the point of sale at 135-145F. The person in charge said the soup was put in the unit to re-heat at 9:15 a.m., approximately an hour and 45 minutes prior to inspection. Person in charge was instructed to rapidly reheat the soup to 165F within 15 minutes.

  • Portioned deli containers of pasta and potato salad were stored at 47-52F in the front display case near the point of sale. The person in charge said the items were placed in the unit from the walk-in cooler approximately 2 hours prior. Person in charge was instructed to move the items to the walk-in cooler to rapidly cool them below 41F.

Waffle House No 1742, 5055 E. McKellips Road, Mesa

  • Chili cooling with an internal temperature of 62F was in a supplementary refrigerator on the cook line. The manager was instructed to move chili back to the walk-in cooler to achieve the proper cooling time and temperature.

  • Gravy and chili were in hot holding at between 108-120F. The manager was instructed to reheat both items to 165F and to maintain them at 135F.

  • Food items including cooked ham, sliced cheese, lettuce, canned mushrooms and sliced tomatoes were in cold holding at between 47-51F on the cook line. All the items were discarded.

  • A full rack of raw eggs was in a control area with no time written down. An employee moved the eggs to a refrigerator. The manager stated that eggs were out for approximately 1 hour before they were to the refrigerator. An Internal temperature of one egg was 56F. The rack of eggs was discarded.

La Oaxaquena Mexican Food, 9822 N. 7th St., Phoenix, AZ

  • Several chili peppers and cucumbers in the walk-in cooler had white and dark organic matter growing on them. The person in charge disposed of the food items.

  • Raw marinated chicken in the walk-in cooler had internal temperature of 45F-51F. The person in charge stated the chicken was prepared and placed in the walk-in cooler the night before. The chicken was discarded.

  • Rolled chicken tacos were on the cook line with an internal temperature of 117F. The tacos were placed in the deep fryer, reheated to a minimum of 165F and placed in hot holding.

  • Cooked chicken, beef tamales, and shrimp ceviche all had internal temperatures between 43F- 45F. The food items were placed in the reach-in cooler from the walk-in cooler less than an hour ago. The person in charge moved the food items back into the walk-in cooler for rapid cooling.

Look'em up: Check your favorite dining spots in The Republic's new restaurant inspection database

Grade A restaurants

Phoenix

  • Casey At The Bat, 3947 E Union Hills Dr, Phoenix

  • The Terraces, 7550 N 16th St, Phoenix

  • Los Armando's Mexican Food & Seafood, 5820 W McDowell Rd, Phoenix

  • Fili's Bar & Grill, 4736 S 35th Ave, Phoenix

  • Zeez Grill, 209 W Jackson St, Phoenix

Scottsdale

  • Ajo Al's Mexican Cafe, 9393 N 90th St, Scottsdale

  • Social Tap, 4312 N Brown Ave, Scottsdale

  • The Springs of Scottsdale, 3212 N Miller Rd, Scottsdale

  • Salad and Go, 7000 E Camelback Rd Space 0565, Scottsdale

  • Red Dragon Chinese Cuisine, 14870 N Northsight Blvd Suite 103, Scottsdale

East Valley

  • El Sol Bakery, 760 N Arizona Ave, Chandler

  • Baby Kay's Cajun Kitchen, 2051 S Dobson Rd Suite 18, Mesa

  • Taqueria Blue Tortilla, 50 E Guadalupe Rd Unit B105, Gilbert

  • Dave's Hot Chicken, 1567 N Cooper Rd, Gilbert

  • Nad's Chicken & Seafood, 315 W Elliot Rd Suite 108, Tempe

West Valley

  • Dazzos Dog House, 6143 W Glendale Ave, Glendale

  • Fuzzy's Southwest Sports Grill, 18795 N Reems Rd Suite 109, Surprise

  • Wildflower Bread Company, 17530 N 75th Ave Suite 200, Glendale

  • Ramiro's Mexican Food, 378 N Litchfield Rd Suite 100, Goodyear

  • The Pasta Factory, 701 E Western Ave Suite A/B, Avondale

Source: Maricopa County Environmental Services

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 4 metro Phoenix restaurants had violations in health inspections