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As many of us were gearing up for the holidays in December, Maricopa County Health Inspectors continued their work of keeping Valley restaurants safe.
Every month, a team of inspectors spreads out around the Valley to visit restaurants. They check food safety, kitchen cleanliness and staff training and behavior to ensure customers and employees stay safe and healthy. Following each unannounced restaurant visit, the inspectors create reports which are filed in a public online database. The most egregious findings are labeled as priority violations.
Last month, some inspectors found kitchens that were more foul than festive. Here are the worst restaurant inspections of December.
Ono Hawaiian BBQ
4972 S. Power Road, Mesa The situation turned from Ono to “oh, no” at one East Valley restaurant last month. On a Dec. 10 visit, a health inspector recorded eight priority violations, earning Ono Hawaiian BBQ a required reinspection. And many of the issues weren’t found for the first time. No certified food protection manager was on site, which is mandatory and the inspector noted that it was a fifth repeat violation. There were also handwashing issues, a third-time repeat violation for the restaurant. Staff handled raw chicken and swapped out their gloves without washing their hands. The front hand sink was blocked by a trash can and the back hand sink was blocked by “a mound of dishes,” according to the report. Five young coconuts were stored underneath raw chicken and beef. There were dirty cutting boards, knives, slicers, ladles and plastic bins with “sticky brown sauce debris.” Foods were stored at improper temperatures, potentially due to the lack of an available thermometer, which is another violation. And lastly, a strand of black hair was found in the veggie mix.
El Rancho Market
1076 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler Things didn’t look great at El Rancho Market in mid-December. A Dec. 16 inspection recorded five priority violations. Employees scooped raw beef into a bowl, changed their gloves and touched tortillas without ever washing their hands. There was a dirty cheese grater and out-of-date foods including pico de gallo, refried beans and salsa verde. Bottles of Windex and Isopropyl alcohol were stored above food-contact surfaces.
Chutneys Indian Express
925 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe Four priority violations were recorded on a Dec. 10 inspection of Chutneys Indian Express in Tempe. There was no certified food protection manager on site, which was a fifth-time violation for the restaurant. Employees didn’t wash their hands after dropping a thermometer on the ground or putting gum in their mouth. This may have been because the only hand-washing sink in the kitchen had been turned off. Apparently, it flooded the kitchen when turned on, so the water was cut off and employees were instructed to walk to the bathroom to wash their hands. The restaurant was given 24 hours to fix the sink, or risk permit suspension. There was also a dirty can opener, improperly heated and cooled foods and a can of ant killer stored with the clean dishes.
Morning Glory Cafe
6106 S. 32nd St.At Morning Glory Cafe in Phoenix, a Dec. 12 inspection found a kitchen short of glorious. Four priority violations were recorded at the breakfast restaurant which is located within The Farm at South Mountain. The inspector observed an employee cracking an egg and then touching cooked potatoes and arugula without removing their gloves or washing their hands. Bags of raw chicken were stored over beef. Raw eggs were stored over cut bell peppers and multiple items were out of date. Cooked chards, brisket and sweet potatoes were too old, with the latter being from November.
Cocina Chiwas
2001 E. Apache Blvd., TempeTempe restaurant Cocina Chiwas racked up four priority violations on a Dec. 11 inspection. The inspector found containers of food throughout the walk-in refrigerator without any lids or covers. Containers of raw egg were stored above cake and cheese. Squeeze bottles of cream, broth and salsa, among other foods, were warmer than a safe temperature. Polenta, multiple salsas, birria, mole and beans were all out of date and in the walk-in refrigerator, the inspector found metal racks “with blue, white fuzzy organic materials” and “food debris” on them, according to the report.
