Rodent droppings and beetles: The worst restaurant inspections in February

Maricopa County health inspectors visit hundreds of Valley restaurants and food businesses every month. They check for staff training, cleanliness, proper safety practices and more in an effort to keep everyone safe.

Following their visits, the inspectors file inspection reports which are publicly available online. They note issues at each location and tally up priority violations, the most blatant issues that require immediate attention. Some issues earn restaurants a scheduled re-inspection with a limited amount of time to fix their most glaring problems.

One of the most common issues restaurants struggle with is holding food at unsafe temperatures. But in February, some of the fridges were more than a few degrees too warm.  Inspectors found coolers stored next to ovens and others that were broken and used as ice chests. On the more creepy crawly end of things, inspectors found mold, rodents and “large black beetles,” at Phoenix area restaurants.

Here are the worst restaurant inspections from Maricopa County eateries in February.

Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails

2 E. Jefferson St.At downtown Phoenix eatery Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails, a number of issues stemmed from a tabletop prep cooler located directly opposite a fire oven. Due to its location, the cooler measured 58.6 degrees Fahrenheit, when refrigeration units are supposed to clock in at 41 degrees or lower. The inspector found cooked shrimp and scallops, roasted tomatoes, green salsa, guacamole, burrata and mozzarella all at unsafe temperatures. There were also issues with date markings. Some foods didn’t have any dates at all, and others were past their seven-day expiration. Batches of miso butter were found with dates as early as Jan. 6, almost one month prior to the inspection. Raw beef, shrimp and fish were stored above cooked barbacoa, cooked lobster meat and sauces in the walk-in, creating the danger of cross-contamination. In total, the health inspector noted four priority violations on the Feb. 5 visit.

Mariscos Bahia de Guaymas

4220 S. 16th St.On a Feb. 5 visit to Mariscos Bahia de Guaymas, a health inspector found a bag of biscuits in the walk-in cooler with green growth on the bread and throughout the package. There was also food stored at improper temperatures and food items kept beyond their discard dates. The inspector also noted an ill-fitting kitchen door. The door opened directly to the outdoors and had gaps on the side and bottom with light shining through. There was also no hot water at the restaurant.

Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse

7217 E. First St., ScottsdaleScottsdale restaurant Bootleggers earned three priority violations and a scheduled re-inspection following a Feb. 6 visit. Both prep coolers were broken, leaving ingredients inside stored on ice. Coleslaw, sliced cheese, salsa, bacon and guacamole were all found at unsafe temperatures. To top those violations, the inspector noted a persistent issue with rodents. There were rodent droppings on the floors, on the dishwashing machine, on the dish racks and on cans and containers in the dry storage area. The inspector observed chewing marks on a container of dry seasoning. The rodent issue, the inspector noted, was a fifth-time violation for this restaurant. On top of the creepy critters, the handwashing sink was falling off the wall and “large amounts of grease and food debris” were found on the floors underneath the cooking equipment.

El Jefe Tacos & Sushi

2155 E. University Drive, #116, TempeTempe’s El Jefe Tacos & Sushi earned itself five priority violations on a Feb. 10 health inspection. The report noted peeling, slimy tomatoes and habanero peppers “with black sections that were splitting.” Both also had “white organic material.” Raw bacon was stored above salsas and limes. Knives stored on a magnetic bar were dirty, an electric slicer was covered in old food and a rice cooker had “food debris encrusted on the inside” and around the edges. Foods were also found without date markings and stored at improper temperatures.

Hello Vietnam Pho & Roll

2922 Hayden Road, ScottsdaleBad news came in the form of beetles at the Hayden Road location of Hello Vietnam Pho & Roll in Scottsdale. In the dry storage shelving, the inspector found seven “large black beetles in various boxes and containers.” The report also noted one beetle crawling in the tempura flour. On the Feb. 19 inspection, the kitchen was also dirty, with food debris, grease, trash and other dirt on the floors of the walk-in, the cooler and dry storage area. Food was stored at unsafe temperatures. Raw meat was stored on top of vegetables and other ingredients, and the dishwashing machine had no sanitizer.

Brunch Problems

2603 N. Central Ave.Central Phoenix restaurant Brunch Problems had, well, problems at its Feb. 27 health inspection. Three priority violations were found, including grey fuzzy mold on four containers of strawberries and a box of beer in the walk-in. There was also an open rodent trap with bait behind the dry storage.