Cockroaches and flies: The worst restaurant inspections in May

Along with old food and warm refrigerators, bugs were an issue at Phoenix restaurants in May. Flies and cockroaches, found both dead and alive, wormed their way into local kitchens. Staff became the issue at some spots, forgetting to or opting out of washing their hands.

All of these issues pose a risk to food safety and the health of customers and staff. Maricopa County Health Inspectors visit restaurants all over the Valley every month to check in and course correct where needed.

The inspectors file reports, which are publicly available online. They note issues on two levels. Violations are issues that lead to larger problems, such as a lack of soap may cause staff to not wash their hands. Priority violations are more serious and pose a direct threat to safety.

In May, inspectors visited two locations of the same chain and found problems at both. A food truck came up short on clean water and a Sonic proved problematic. Here are the worst Phoenix restaurant inspections in May.

Taqueria Los Nortenos

17404 N. Cave Creek Road

On a May 2 inspection, food truck Taqueria Los Nortenos earned three priority violations. The inspector watched a cook handle food, leave the truck, return and continue handling food without washing their hands. This may be due to issues with the sink, which had "insufficient capacity to hold clean water" and provide adequate water for hand washing. The inspection report also noted cooked beef and chicken in containers on the counter at room temperature. Shredded cheese, fresh salsa, cut greens and cooked red and green salsas were all too warm, found between 50 and 70 degrees.

Uncle Panda Dumpling and Noodle House

5626 W. Bell Road, Glendale

At Uncle Panda Dumpling and Noodle House in Glendale, a May 7 inspection turned up three priority violations. Raw chicken, raw pork and raw beef were all stored in the same container in the walk-in refrigerator. Raw beef was also stored directly with bean sprouts. Cooked pork and shrimp measured at 69 and 72 degrees in the prep cooler and cooked rice was stored on a bench at 82 degrees. The inspector also found cooked meats without any date markings to indicate when they were made.

Mercado Latino

3102 W. Van Buren St.

May 12 was not a good day for Mercado Latino on Van Buren Street. An inspector found a dead fly in a large container of raw pork meat in the walk-in refrigerator. The operator discarded around 50 pounds of meat that was deemed unsafe for consumption. Creepy crawlies continued beyond the fridge. The inspector found two live cockroaches. One was crawling on the meat counter and another was in the prep sink in the kitchen. Food items were also stored at unsafe temperatures and found without date markings. The market earned three priority violations.

The Living Room

4905 E. Ray Road
20751 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale

Local chain The Living Room had a bad month in May. Two locations were inspected and both earned three priority violations. On May 12, an inspector visiting the Scottsdale restaurant found a broken dishwashing machine, warm crab mix and spicy tuna, and a too-warm walk-in refrigerator. The next day, an inspector visited the Ray Road location. There, they found a whole lot of opportunities for cross-contamination. Raw beef was stored over cream and milk and raw eggs were stored over cooked chicken. Raw beef was stored over Jell-o shots and raw bacon was stored on top of brioche buns. The inspector also found "toothpaste and a used toothbrush" stored on the prep cooler. Chemical cleaners were stored above an open container of sugar. Then, in the back of the kitchen, a homemade pest control measure had gone all wrong. There were over 30 fruit flies flying around the drain in the mop sink. Someone had placed a bucket of mashed fruit, reportedly in an effort to attract and catch the flies. However, the fruit "appeared to be harboring the flies and allowing breeding conditions," according to the report.

Los Sombreros

1976 W. Southern Ave., Mesa

A health inspector visited Los Sombreros in Mesa on May 16. There, they found staff assembling tacos and handling cheese and vegetables with their bare hands. Tubs of raw chicken were stored on top of seafood and raw beef in the walk-in. Sliced beef, corn and other veggies were stored at improper temperatures and other food items were found without date markings. Cooked chicken, chipotle crema, soup and cooked pork did have date markings - and they were out of date. The restaurant earned four priority violations and a mandatory reinspection.

Black Rock Coffee Bar

4925 S. Val Vista Drive, Gilbert

On May 19, a health inspector visited Black Rock Coffee Bar in Gilbert and found four priority violations. Most were related to warm dairy. Whipped cream cheese and milk products were found sitting out at room temperature. The inspector also watched an employee come in to work and start making drink orders without washing their hands. If they had washed their hands, the employee would have been met with no soap at either of the hand-washing sinks, another violation. The soap dispensers at both sinks were broken. The issues are similar to what an inspector found visiting the Black Rock Coffee Bar on McKellips Road in Mesa in January.

Sonic

13751 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale

On May 20, a health inspector stopped by Sonic in Glendale to find a disheveled kitchen. The inspector watched a cook with gloves on handle raw meat, then touch raw produce, buns and other foods. Cheese and chili were out of date. An ice bin was "face down on a tray of standing water with debris." There were also "buckets of cloudy water" throughout the restaurant. Grill cleaner chemicals were stored on a prep table near uncovered foods. There was also a buildup of dust on the vents and equipment, debris around the kitchen, dirty gloves, broken and missing ceiling tiles, peeling wall paneling and leaking sinks.

Tukee's Sports Grill

4804 E. Chandler Blvd.

Tukee's Sports Grill earned itself three priority violations following a May 20 visit. After scraping off dirty dishes, an employee touched clean dishes without washing their hands. In the walk-in refrigerator, a pan of raw beef was stored on top of chipotle salsa. Four boxes of raw bacon and a pan of raw beef were stored on and above queso sauce. The inspector also noted a pan of chicken tenders from May 12. The restaurant was assigned a mandatory reinspection.