By james art 
What happens during a restaurant inspection?
Maricopa County inspectors conduct inspections of restaurants in food establishments and registration violations. Video courtesy of Maricopa County.
Nicole Schaub, Arizona Republic
Maricopa County health inspectors cited five Valley restaurants for 26 health violations during the week of Oct. 4. The violations included liquid leaking from the ceiling into an ice machine and improper food storage.
A priority violation is a primary violation that directly contributes to an increased risk of foodborne illness or injury. If listed in the inspection reports, the corrective measures implemented during the inspection are noted.
In the week of October 4, inspectors visited more than 850 restaurants, along with other food outlets in hospitals, nursing homes and schools. More than 360 restaurants have received an “A” rating. See a sample of many restaurant inspectors rated “A” at the end of this article.
5 violations
Stellar66, 1829 E. Baseline Road, Gilbert
- Packaged hot pasta made from beef fat has no labels in English and no USDA seal of inspection. The USDA was contacted and the pasta was embargoed.
- Raw whole ducks were hung next to whole cooked ducks in a freezer. Raw pork is stored above cooked pork and duck in a cooler. Items were rearranged.
- Rice porridge in hot holding had an internal temperature of 123F. Shrimp Dumplings, BBQ Pork Buns, and Pork Dumplings in Steamer Baskets on a Steamer Table had an internal temperature of 89F to 125F. The rice porridge and dumplings were reheated to 165F.
- Chinese cabbage, fried chicken, bean sprouts, sliced bok choy, and boiled beef stomach in cold chambers had internal temperatures of 55F to 72F. All products were moved to a freezer for rapid cooling.
- A mop sink faucet with an atmospheric vacuum breaker had a hose attached while not in use. The hose was disconnected.
Beast of Bourbon Bar and Grill, 2235 S. Power Road, Mesa
- Raw ground beef is stored on top of cooked meat on a rack in a walk-in cooler. Raw chicken is stored in a Ziploc bag in the same container as raw beef. A person in charge rearranged the items.
- A cheese shredder stored as clean had cheese residue. The shredder was cleaned and disinfected.
- Nacho cheese is stored in a well-heated steamer with an internal temperature of 130F. It was overheated to 165F. The cheese is reheated to maintain a temperature of 135F or higher.
- Parmesan garlic sauce, al pastor and bone marrow were in a cooler stored more than seven days after the discard date. All items were discarded.
- Cockroach extermination powder is stored in the establishment. A person in charge threw away the dust.
4 violations
KFC, 1525 N. 43rd Ave., Phoenix
- One employee started his shift and prepared food without washing his hands. Several other employees handled money, dirty dishes and chemicals and then handled food and clean dishes without washing their hands.
- An employee washed and rinsed the dishes and put them away as clean without sanitizing them. Another employee dropped utensils on the floor and picked them up as clean without washing and sanitizing them. The problems were fixed during the inspection.
- Nuggets in hot holding had temperatures ranging from 115F to 130F. Nuggets below the hot holding temperature of 135F were discarded.
- Stagnant water was found throughout the site, from soda vending machine leaks, air conditioning compressor and sewer leaks. A repair work order has been released.
Varsity Tavern, 501 S. Mill Ave., Tempe
- Cauliflower in container had brown slimy organic material on it. The cauliflower was discarded.
- Ranch is stored in a small beverage refrigerator with an internal temperature of 49F, four degrees above the correct temperature. The ranch was abandoned.
- The throw away dates for the cooked chicken tinga and marinara have passed; the cooked ground beef had no cook date. All items were discarded.
- Liquid was leaking from the ceiling into an ice machine on the second floor; the source of the leak was unknown. Use of the machine was suspended until the leak was repaired and re-inspected.
Arre Mexican Street Food, 3805 S. 16th St., Phoenix
- Leftovers were on a tomato slicer. The cube grid was washed, rinsed and disinfected.
- Egg breakfast burritos are held in a Plexiglas warmer next to the cash register with an internal temperature of 120F, 15 degrees below the proper hot holding temperature.
- Breakfast potatoes, steaks in gravy, and refried beans in cold storage were at temperatures ranging from 90F to 52F. The goods were embargoed.
- A large leak from an ice machine filter unit was leaking onto the floor behind the bar counter. During the site inspection, a plumber arrived.
Broken Yolk Cafe, 1928 E. Highland Ave., Phoenix
- There was an accumulation of blue-green organic matter in a bag of grated parmesan cheese. | The cheese was discarded.
- Tomato soup, refried beans, and salsa in a steam well were measured at temperatures ranging from 115F to 124F degrees Fahrenheit. | All food items were reheated to 165F.
- Multiple items such as mashed potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, cooked Spanish rice, cooked beans, Monterey jack cheese, and cooked shredded beef were observed in the 45F to 47F range. | The items were thrown away.
- The cooked Spanish rice was stored in a take-out style refrigerated bag. | A person in charge moved the rice into a food-grade plastic storage container.
A-rated restaurants
Phoenix
- POJ’s, 4617 W. Indian School Road
- Sushi-To, 4224 W. Indian School Road
- Sardella’s Pizza & Wings, 4212 W. Cactus Road
- Raj & Rani’s Indian Kitchen, 4727 E. Bell Road
- Tacos Huicho, 3831 E. Thunderbird Road
Scottsdale
- Oumi Sushi, 4402 N. Miller Road
- China Basil, 2334 N. Scottsdale Road
- Atlas Bistro, 2515 N. Scottsdale Road
- Duke’s Sports Bar & Grill, 7607 E. McDowell Road
- Fiesta Burrito, 7402 E. McDowell Road
West Valley
- Panaderia La Central, 725 N. Central Ave., Avondale
- Barrio Queen, 13434 N. Prasada Parkway, Surprise
- Barnes & Noble, 1446 N. Litchfield Road, Goodyear
- Babylon Gyros & Shako Mako Grill, 5826 W. Olive Ave., Glendale
- Palermo’s Pizza and Wings, 1500 S. Watson Road, Buckeye
East Valley
- Dirty Dough Mesa 1920 S. Stapley Dr., Mesa
- Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, 5000 S. Arizona Mills Circle, Tempe
- Black Bear Diner, 1809 E. Baseline Road, Gilbert
- Egg N’ Joe, 4010 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler
- Ahipoki Bowl, 21202 S. Ellsworth Loop Road, Queen Creek
Source: Maricopa County Environmental Services
Contact the reporter at [email protected] or @kfalayi
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