Restaurants must immediately fix any Priority Violations that inspectors find. If they can’t fix an issue on the spot, the restaurant will be reinspected within three days to make sure they comply.
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Flies and mold are never a welcome sight in a kitchen. Less obvious, but equally dangerous issues can stem from staff who don’t understand proper food safety. Health inspectors from the Maricopa County Environmental Services department found all of the above in Valley kitchens last month.
Inspectors drop in at local restaurants unannounced, where they check the front- and back-of-house for issues that could pose a risk to staff or customers.
They fill out inspection reports and record health code violations on a two-tier scale. Foundational violations are problems that could cause larger issues, such as a lack of soap could lead to improper handwashing. Priority violations are major issues that cause an immediate danger.
Any restaurant that scores three or more priority violations earns the equivalent of a “D” letter grade. All problems found must be corrected on the spot. If they can’t be immediately resolved, a mandatory reinspection is scheduled.
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The inspectors’ reports are published online in a searchable database that’s available to the public. Of the hundreds of restaurants that inspectors visit every month, most pass with ease. For a select few, the issues really pile up. Here are the worst restaurant inspections from around Phoenix in September.
Restaurant inspectors uncovered plenty of issues at Phoenix restaurants last month.
Zipps Sports Grill
690 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
Zipps Sports Grill is a frequent flyer on this list. And once again, the Mill Avenue location is on the health inspector’s radar. On Sept. 10, the restaurant earned three priority violations and a mandatory reinspection. An employee handled raw chicken, removed their gloves and put on new ones without washing their hands. An employee wearing two sets of gloves removed one set and continued food prep. A large ice machine had mold inside. There was also “buildup of organic matter” on the inside and top of ice bins at the bar, at the busser station, by the patio and by a food station. There was an employee drink next to the sauce station, a dirty can opener and ingredients without labels. Marinara sauce, guacamole and beer cheese were all above safe temperatures, and the kitchen didn’t have a thermometer to measure.
Little Caesars Pizza
2754 E. McKellips Road, Mesa
The McKellips Road location of Little Caesars was inspected on Sept. 14 and scored three priority violations. Two employees confirmed there was no manager present at the start of the inspection. There were issues with improperly sanitizing equipment and cooked pizzas with no discard times. An employee said they thought the pizzas had been made about two hours ago, but they weren’t sure. Glass cleaners and sanitizing chemicals were stored above clean pans and pizza dough. Multiple racks holding cooked pizzas and breadsticks were covered in old food residue, which was noted as a second-time violation. And the restaurant itself was dirty. There was dust, dirt, trash and old food residue on the ceilings, walls and floors throughout the kitchen and bathroom.
El Nuevo Altata
7829 W. Thomas Road
On Sept. 15, an inspector visited El Nuevo Altata at Desert Sky Mall and found three priority violations. A mandatory reinspection was scheduled. Three hand-washing sinks had some combination of missing soap, paper towels or having dirty dishes in the sink. Bags of raw shrimp and pans of bacon-wrapped shrimp were stored above salsa in the walk-in. Chopped tomatoes, fish fillets, lettuce, raw beef and shredded cheese were all too warm. There was a “heavy presence of flies” throughout the kitchen. The floor drain at the hand sink and under the dish machine were both clogged. And the inspector noted a heavy accumulation of grease and food scraps on the floors, walls and ceiling.
Tacos y Mariscos Sinaloa
2808 W. McDowell Road
An inspector visited Tacos y Mariscos Sinaloa on Sept. 15, found three priority violations and scheduled a mandatory reinspection. There was seafood without the proper paperwork. An open container of raw shrimp was stored above cooked tomatoes and deli ham. Multiple food items were above safe temperatures, including cut lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, salsa, raw eggs, chicken nuggets and rolled beef tacos. A prep cooler was holding at 53 degrees. Multiple food items were way out of date, with some items up to a month old. There were multiple canisters of pesticides under the mop sink.
SoCal Fish Taco Co.
219 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert
On Sept. 16, an inspector visited SoCal Fish Taco Co. in Gilbert and recorded five priority violations. There were many issues with seafood and potential cross-contamination, including a pan of raw oysters stored directly above cooked meats. Another pan of raw oysters was stored above clean salad plates, and a stack of raw grouper fillets was found above safe temperatures. The handwashing sink was blocked with a strainer full of ice and another sink had a hose connected to the faucet that was not up to code. In a steam table, cooked rice was stored in a “Thank You” plastic takeout bag. And throughout the kitchen, the inspector noted trash and dirt. On the floors around the fryer, prep coolers and grill, there was food debris, grease and trash. The kitchen vents were filled with dust and debris.
Cyber Food Truck
4535 W. Van Buren St.
On Sept. 21, the mobile food vendor Cyber Food Truck earned three priority violations and a mandatory reinspection. Eight large open pans of cooked pork, plus bags and containers of rice, were out at room temperature and laid across the drain board, sink and hand-washing station. Employees were preparing food with no access to the hand sink, which also didn’t have any soap or paper towels. The pork was within the splash area of the sinks. The person in charge didn’t know what sanitizer test strips were, and was unaware they needed test strips or a thermometer to operate the food truck. The person in charge also confirmed that all of the food for sale had been prepared at their house instead of in an approved kitchen. The foods included pork, rice, cut vegetables and nem chua, a fermented pork dish, which was also found to be above a safe temperature. The person in charge confirmed they had brought the foods from their house without refrigeration. Food trucks must use a commissary kitchen to prepare their foods, and keep a log of visits to the kitchen. There was no log available, and the employee confirmed they do not use a commissary kitchen. They also told the inspector that they fill their fresh water for the truck at their house, and dump their grey water at home as well.
Dining and Cooking