11 restaurants, markets fail Pima County health inspections in August and more
- Updated
Nine restaurants and two markets failed Pima County health inspections in August; most passed follow-up inspections. Here’s what you need know:
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: Received mostly “good” and “excellent” ratings since 2002. Had one previous “needs improvement” rating in 2014 and this was its first failed inspection.
What the inspector saw: Priority violations including raw meat stored over vegetables, washing of utensils with no soap or sanitizer, inadequate cooling of food, inaccurate food dating, no food thermometers on site, and rodent droppings near the water heater.
Follow-up: Hasn't yet occurred.
Response: Owner Wayne Wei said he didn’t feel his restaurant should have failed the inspection. “We did the right thing,” he said, adding later: “Sometimes we have these inspectors come over and just tell what we need to correct on site. This time they did not.”
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: Since opening in 2014, has received only “excellent” ratings. This was its first failed inspection.
What the inspector saw: The restaurant was ordered closed on Aug. 2 because sewage was backing up in the dishwasher area. The inspector also noted problems with hand washing sinks and employee hand-washing practices. On a follow-up inspection, an inspector also noted that many utensils were not clean “to sight and touch” and some foods were not stored at sufficiently cool temperatures.
Follow-up: Failed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 5, but passed on Aug. 10.
Response: Problems with the sewage may have been due to a disgruntled employee, manager David Worth said. A cleanup revealed that a pair of gloves and bar rag had been stuffed into a drain in a way that seemed to be intentional. Worth said he suspected the same employee also did damage to a bathroom sink and hand-washing station. Worth said the former employee's last words before leaving the restaurant were, "Well, you haven’t heard the last of me."
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: Since 2014, has received only “good” and “excellent” ratings. This was its first failed inspection.
What the inspector saw: Fourteen priority violations, a high number. They included not sanitizing dishes, employee food stored in refrigerator, improper food handling practices, raw seafood stored above ready-to-eat food, food kept at unsafe temperatures, inadequate food labeling, cleaning products stored near food, “three live roaches each in different life stages” in food prep areas, and “crudely constructed cheese cutter made from a wire and two cardboard handles.”
Follow-up: The restaurant failed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 25.
Response: Manager Brenda Rodriguez said her staff was taking a number of measures to make sure the restaurant passes the next inspection.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: Has had three previous “probationary” ratings, as well as a “needs improvement rating,” but has otherwise received ratings of “good” and “excellent.”
What the inspector saw: Eight priority violations, including dirty cutting boards, undated food in the refrigerator, and insect spray and skin cream stored near food prep areas. There were no devices to prevent backflow of contaminants through water lines in the dish-cleaning area and an industrial drill was being used to mix salsa.
Follow-up: Passed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 22.
Response: General manager Wayne Hallquist said everything had been corrected.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: Since 2014, has received only “good” and “excellent” ratings. This was its first fail. (Another Molinito location also failed an inspection in August; see above.)
What the inspector saw: Five priority violations on Aug. 16, including improper dishwashing and food handling practices, a hand sink with no soap, and food stored at unsafe temperatures.
Follow-up: Passed an Aug. 26 reinspection.
Response: General manager Wayne Hallquist said all the issues have been resolved.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: Since 2009, has received exclusively “good” and “excellent” ratings. This was its first failed inspection.
What the inspector saw: Eight priority violations, including a soapless hand-washing station, an employee washing hands in a prep sink, dishes and utensils stored with dried food, inadequate food cooling practices, and a dirty ice scoop.
Follow-up: Passed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 29.
Response: The restaurant did not respond to request for comment.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: Has never before failed an inspection, and has received “good” and “excellent” ratings exclusively since 2003.
What the inspector saw: The restaurant’s make unit was not cooling foods adequately. There was no certified food protection manager on site. The two violations earned the restaurant a “needs improvement” rating, which is less serious than a “probationary” rating.
Follow-up: Failed its first follow-up on Aug. 12, but passed four days later.
Response: Owner Chung Kim said the make unit in question was new and not working properly at first. Staff were eventually able to get it keep food adequately cool.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: This appears to have been the restaurant’s first regular inspection.
What the inspector saw: Eleven priority violations, including a hand sink being used as a dump sink, a hand sink not being stocked with soap, raw meats stored above ready-to-eat foods, and foods kept at inappropriate temperatures. Some of the violations were corrected on-site.
Follow-up: Passed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 29.
Response: The restaurant did not respond to requests for comment.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: Since 2000, has received largely “good” and “excellent” ratings, but has had a string of provisionals over the last year.
What the inspector saw: Eight priority violations, earning the restaurant a “probationary” rating. Among those violations were raw meat stored above produce, inadequately covered food, food prep tools covered in food debris, and food kept at unsafe temperatures.
Follow-up: Passed a follow-up inspection on Sept. 1.
Response: The restaurant did not respond to requests for comment.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: Since 2000, ratings of “excellent” and “good” almost exclusively.
What the inspector saw: The market got a “needs improvement” rating in late July, and failed a follow-inspection in early August. The violations found in July included no hand-washing sink available for employees bagging jerky and a dishwashing sink connected directly to the sewer line.
Follow-up: Failed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 1, but passed a week later.
Response: The phone number listed does not work.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In August
History: Has never gotten a more serious “probationary” rating, but has gotten several “needs improvement” ratings and failed followup inspections. Since 2000, it has received mostly “excellent” and “good” ratings.
What the inspector saw: A series of failed August inspections stems from a June inspection where health department staff discovered that a three-bin sink was “directly plumbed to the sewer,” which is not allowed for sinks used to hold food equipment or utensils.
Follow-up: The market failed three follow-up inspections in August.
Response: Owner Tun Lee said the sink is not being used, and he is looking for a plumber to carry out necessary repairs.
- Updated
4,600: Food service licenses in Pima County
496: Excellent, good or passed inspections in August
21: Needs improvement inspections in August
11: Failed or probationary inspections in August
Source: Pima County Health Department
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In July:
History: The restaurant has had exclusively received "good" and "excellent" ratings since its opening in 2008. These were its first failed inspections.
What the inspector saw: Eight foodborne illness risk factors earned the location a probationary rating. Those violations included a manager on site without “knowledge of foodborne disease prevention,” employee drinks stored above food, trays blocking hand-washing stations, raw eggs sitting on top of cooked pork, walk-in shelves “heavily encrusted with food debris,” unsafe food temperatures, and food stored without adequate date marking. Most were corrected on site.
Follow-up: The restaurant failed a July 11 follow-up, but passed another on July 21.
Response: Messages left with a manager were not returned.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In July:
History: This location has had exclusively "good" and "excellent" ratings since opening in 2000.
What the inspector saw: Seven risk factors, which earned the location a probationary rating. Among them were a manager who did not take initiative to correct problems, poor hand-washing and food handling practices, an obstructed hand-washing station, inadequately cleaned equipment including “grossly unsanitary” cutting boards, unsafe food storage temperatures and inadequately labeled chemicals. Several were addressed during the inspection.
Follow-up: The restaurant passed a July 18 follow-up inspection.
Response: In a written response, operations manager Scott Seather said, “We were surprised and disappointed to hear that one of our Tucson Village Inn restaurants … failed a recent health inspection. When we heard the news, we immediately took action and investigated the situation. Village Inn promptly passed a health re-inspection, and will continue to make our guests’ and employees’ safety the number one priority.”
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In July:
History: Since 2002, the restaurant has received "good" and "excellent" ratings exclusively. These were its first failed inspections.
What the inspector saw: Eight risk factors, earning the restaurant a probationary rating. These included obstructed hand-washing sinks, eggs stored above ready-to-eat foods, improper food handling practices, inadequate food cooling practices, no customer disclosure about the risks of undercooked foods, and unlabeled cleaning chemicals.
Follow-up: The location failed an Aug. 1 follow-up inspection.
Response: Ernest Aguirre, the restaurant’s owner, said most of the violations were corrected between the two inspections, and he expects to pass the second follow-up. “I think we should be passing the inspection,” he said. “I’ve been checking the temperatures and everything is good.”
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In July:
History: Other than one other "needs improvement" rating, the restaurant has received exclusively "good" and "excellent" ratings.
What the inspector saw: A handful of violations during a July 19 inspection, earning it a "needs improvement" rating, which is not as serious as a fail but still prompts a follow-up inspection. Among the violations were an obstructed hand-washing station, unsafe food temperatures, and the use of unapproved pest control chemicals.
Follow-up: The restaurant failed its first reinspection on July 20, but passed the next day.
Response: Owner Sung Ho Kang said, “It’s not going to happen again.”
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In July:
History: Records of previous inspections are not available on the health department's website, but co-owner Ramiro Flores said the restaurant has been open since 2013 and passed all previous inspections.
What the inspector saw: Nine risk factors on July 25, earning the restaurant a probationary rating. The violations included a manager who did not “demonstrate adequate food safety knowledge” and noted to the inspector that they use Google to look up requirements; no procedures in place for “vomiting or diarrheal” events; inadequate hand-washing and food handling practices; raw bacon stored above ready-to-eat foods; food held at unsafe temperatures; and no disclosure of undercooked food hazards on its menu. Several were corrected on site.
Follow-up: Flores said the restaurant was reinspected Friday and passed, though documentation of the follow-up was not immediately available on the county's website.
Response: Flores said the restaurant has taken a number of measures since the inspection, including purchasing new cooling equipment, signing employees up for training, and putting food safety and hand-washing signs up for workers. "We just wanted to make it as easy as possible for our cooks to comply and have the knowledge," he said.
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4,600: Food service licenses in Pima County
527: Excellent, good or passed inspections in July
16: Needs improvement inspections in July
7: Failed or probationary inspections in July
Source: Pima County Health Department
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In June:
History: Since September 2015, has received only ratings of excellent.
What the inspector saw: Six critical violations on June 3, earning the restaurant a “probationary” rating. These included improper food cooling and handling practices, a meat saw “encrusted with meat debris,” dishes being washed but not sanitized, and inadequate labeling of food. Additionally, several roaches were seen coming out of the floor sink.
Follow-up: While all of the violations were resolved by the June 13 follow-up inspection, the store did not pay its reinspection fee, which resulted in a failed inspection.
Response: Several attempts to contact the store for comment were unsuccessful.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In June:
History: Since 2002, the restaurant has exclusively received ratings of good and excellent. These were its first failed inspections.
What the inspector saw: On June 3, there was no hand sink in the server area, resulting in a “needs improvement” rating. That rating is for restaurants where inspectors find fewer than five critical violations that cannot be resolved immediately.
Follow-up: The restaurant failed two follow-up inspections in June because no sink had been installed, but passed a July 6 inspection.
Response: An owner didn’t return a message seeking comment.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In June:
History: This was the restaurant’s first routine inspection.
What the inspector saw: Eight critical violations, including foods kept at unsafe temps, an employee slicing lemons with bare hands, improper food storage, seashells being used to serve meat products, inconsistent date marking, and raw sushi fish served without a consumer advisory posted.
Follow-up: The restaurant passed a July 1 reinspection.
Response: Jenny Lu, a Joy Buffet manager, said the violations have been corrected and that the inspector “sat down with me personally, and he taught me how to do everything.”
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In June:
History: Since 2014, the meat market has had three good ratings. This was its first failed inspection.
What the inspector saw: Six critical violations on June 22, including unsafe food temperatures, raw oysters stored above canned drinks, beans stored next to raw meat, an employee’s personal drink being stored in an ice machine, improper labeling of shellfish and unsafe storage of cleaning products. Many of the violations were dealt with on-site.
Follow-up: Passed a July 6 reinspection.
Response: Owner Claudia Gonzalez said none of the violations put customers at risk and that they have all been resolved.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In June:
History: Has received mostly good ratings since 2013, but has failed one other time and received one “needs improvement” rating.
What the inspector saw: Six critical violations on June 23, earning the restaurant a probationary rating. Violations included poor hand-washing practices, raw food being stored near ready-to-eat food, fried chicken being stored in a used cardboard box, seasoning and sauce containers covered in encrusted food, food without proper date labeling, and an unlabeled pink liquid.
Follow-up: A reinspection was not done within 10 days of the failed inspection, as is customary, because the restaurant is closed until July 14. A reinspection will be done after it reopens, according to a health department official.
Response: The restaurant was closed the week the Star tried to reach owners or managers for comment.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In June:
History: Since 2008, this location has received exclusively good and excellent ratings.
What the inspector saw: This failed inspection stems from a March inspection in which an inspector saw there was no hand-washing station for a recently installed growler-filling station, resulting in a “needs improvement” rating. On June 23, a hand-washing station had still not been installed. The store is considering removing the growler-filling station, but if it is to remain, the store will need to submit plans to install a hand-washing sink.
Follow-up: There are no records of another follow-up.
Response: A company representative did not respond to requests for comment.
- By Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Inadequate cooling of potentially hazardous foods got the Tanque Verde Swap Meet’s Mercado briefly shut down on June 10.
A county health inspector found that the two walk-in coolers on-site “are not capable of holding food at 41 degrees or less.”
Instead, hot dogs, cheese and beans and other food were found to be 50 degrees or warmer. Additionally, the temperature alarm had been sounding for several hours the day of the visit, indicating unsafe temperatures, and “food service continued” nevertheless, according to the inspection report.
The inspector found an additional five critical violations, which earned the cafeteria a “probationary” rating.
County staff visited the facility the next day and determined that the coolers were functioning properly, and keeping food below required temperatures.
“Facility is OK to do full menu service at this time,” the June 11 follow-up report reads, though it goes on to advise managers to “continue to monitor refrigeration, especially since monsoons are here.”
Beyond the cooler violations, the inspector observed an employee handling food with her bare hands, raw meat being stored above ready-to-eat food and a nonfunctioning dish sanitizer, all of which were corrected that day.
A statement provided by the swap meet’s operators says that they have “operated 10 different concessions and drink stands for over 40 years and this is the only incident that has ever closed a stand. It was immediately rectified and the Health Department cleared us to open the next day.”
Additionally, the “employee in question” for some of the violations will take a county-administered food management course.
“We are confident this will not recur,” it goes on to say.
This is the restaurant’s first failed inspection, and it has received ratings of “good” and “excellent” exclusively since 2000.
Normally follow-up inspections at failed facilities are conducted within 10 days of the inspection. However, because the Mercado is only open on the weekends, the visit is scheduled for Friday, June 24, a county spokeswoman said.
- By Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Inadequate hand-washing practices and unsanitary meat handling, among other violations, earned local chain BK Tacos’ North First Avenue location a “probationary” rating from the county health department Wednesday.
The county inspector found eight critical violations, most of which were resolved or addressed on-site.
The inspector found meats kept below established temperatures for hot food, observed a BK employee handle a garbage can with gloves and then clean them off with dishwashing sprayer before returning to work, the same employee washing hands without soap, and cooked ribs ready for eating being placed on a cutting board covered with raw meat juices.
Additionally, the dish sanitizer tested negative for sanitizer three times, some food was stored without dates, and several bottles of cleaning supplies were stored without proper labeling.
Daphne Diaz, a BK shift supervisor, said the problems, which she described as “minor,” are “already fixed.” She added that a re-inspection is scheduled for Monday, and that all of the restaurant’s staff have been registered for the next available food safety class in July “so that this doesn’t happen anymore.”
The BK location, at 2680 N. First Ave., has received mostly “good” and “excellent” ratings since 2006, though it has received two “needs improvement” ratings. The most recent inspection was its first “probationary” rating, which was until recently known as a “provisional” rating.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
4,600: Food service licenses in Pima County
708: Excellent, good or passed inspections in June
25: Needs improvement inspections in June
9: Provisional and failed inspections in June
Source: Pima County Health Department
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: Received mostly “good” and “excellent” ratings since 2002. Had one previous “needs improvement” rating in 2014 and this was its first failed inspection.
What the inspector saw: Priority violations including raw meat stored over vegetables, washing of utensils with no soap or sanitizer, inadequate cooling of food, inaccurate food dating, no food thermometers on site, and rodent droppings near the water heater.
Follow-up: Hasn't yet occurred.
Response: Owner Wayne Wei said he didn’t feel his restaurant should have failed the inspection. “We did the right thing,” he said, adding later: “Sometimes we have these inspectors come over and just tell what we need to correct on site. This time they did not.”
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: Since opening in 2014, has received only “excellent” ratings. This was its first failed inspection.
What the inspector saw: The restaurant was ordered closed on Aug. 2 because sewage was backing up in the dishwasher area. The inspector also noted problems with hand washing sinks and employee hand-washing practices. On a follow-up inspection, an inspector also noted that many utensils were not clean “to sight and touch” and some foods were not stored at sufficiently cool temperatures.
Follow-up: Failed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 5, but passed on Aug. 10.
Response: Problems with the sewage may have been due to a disgruntled employee, manager David Worth said. A cleanup revealed that a pair of gloves and bar rag had been stuffed into a drain in a way that seemed to be intentional. Worth said he suspected the same employee also did damage to a bathroom sink and hand-washing station. Worth said the former employee's last words before leaving the restaurant were, "Well, you haven’t heard the last of me."
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: Since 2014, has received only “good” and “excellent” ratings. This was its first failed inspection.
What the inspector saw: Fourteen priority violations, a high number. They included not sanitizing dishes, employee food stored in refrigerator, improper food handling practices, raw seafood stored above ready-to-eat food, food kept at unsafe temperatures, inadequate food labeling, cleaning products stored near food, “three live roaches each in different life stages” in food prep areas, and “crudely constructed cheese cutter made from a wire and two cardboard handles.”
Follow-up: The restaurant failed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 25.
Response: Manager Brenda Rodriguez said her staff was taking a number of measures to make sure the restaurant passes the next inspection.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: Has had three previous “probationary” ratings, as well as a “needs improvement rating,” but has otherwise received ratings of “good” and “excellent.”
What the inspector saw: Eight priority violations, including dirty cutting boards, undated food in the refrigerator, and insect spray and skin cream stored near food prep areas. There were no devices to prevent backflow of contaminants through water lines in the dish-cleaning area and an industrial drill was being used to mix salsa.
Follow-up: Passed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 22.
Response: General manager Wayne Hallquist said everything had been corrected.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: Since 2014, has received only “good” and “excellent” ratings. This was its first fail. (Another Molinito location also failed an inspection in August; see above.)
What the inspector saw: Five priority violations on Aug. 16, including improper dishwashing and food handling practices, a hand sink with no soap, and food stored at unsafe temperatures.
Follow-up: Passed an Aug. 26 reinspection.
Response: General manager Wayne Hallquist said all the issues have been resolved.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: Since 2009, has received exclusively “good” and “excellent” ratings. This was its first failed inspection.
What the inspector saw: Eight priority violations, including a soapless hand-washing station, an employee washing hands in a prep sink, dishes and utensils stored with dried food, inadequate food cooling practices, and a dirty ice scoop.
Follow-up: Passed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 29.
Response: The restaurant did not respond to request for comment.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: Has never before failed an inspection, and has received “good” and “excellent” ratings exclusively since 2003.
What the inspector saw: The restaurant’s make unit was not cooling foods adequately. There was no certified food protection manager on site. The two violations earned the restaurant a “needs improvement” rating, which is less serious than a “probationary” rating.
Follow-up: Failed its first follow-up on Aug. 12, but passed four days later.
Response: Owner Chung Kim said the make unit in question was new and not working properly at first. Staff were eventually able to get it keep food adequately cool.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: This appears to have been the restaurant’s first regular inspection.
What the inspector saw: Eleven priority violations, including a hand sink being used as a dump sink, a hand sink not being stocked with soap, raw meats stored above ready-to-eat foods, and foods kept at inappropriate temperatures. Some of the violations were corrected on-site.
Follow-up: Passed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 29.
Response: The restaurant did not respond to requests for comment.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: Since 2000, has received largely “good” and “excellent” ratings, but has had a string of provisionals over the last year.
What the inspector saw: Eight priority violations, earning the restaurant a “probationary” rating. Among those violations were raw meat stored above produce, inadequately covered food, food prep tools covered in food debris, and food kept at unsafe temperatures.
Follow-up: Passed a follow-up inspection on Sept. 1.
Response: The restaurant did not respond to requests for comment.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: Since 2000, ratings of “excellent” and “good” almost exclusively.
What the inspector saw: The market got a “needs improvement” rating in late July, and failed a follow-inspection in early August. The violations found in July included no hand-washing sink available for employees bagging jerky and a dishwashing sink connected directly to the sewer line.
Follow-up: Failed a follow-up inspection on Aug. 1, but passed a week later.
Response: The phone number listed does not work.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In August
History: Has never gotten a more serious “probationary” rating, but has gotten several “needs improvement” ratings and failed followup inspections. Since 2000, it has received mostly “excellent” and “good” ratings.
What the inspector saw: A series of failed August inspections stems from a June inspection where health department staff discovered that a three-bin sink was “directly plumbed to the sewer,” which is not allowed for sinks used to hold food equipment or utensils.
Follow-up: The market failed three follow-up inspections in August.
Response: Owner Tun Lee said the sink is not being used, and he is looking for a plumber to carry out necessary repairs.
4,600: Food service licenses in Pima County
496: Excellent, good or passed inspections in August
21: Needs improvement inspections in August
11: Failed or probationary inspections in August
Source: Pima County Health Department
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In July:
History: The restaurant has had exclusively received "good" and "excellent" ratings since its opening in 2008. These were its first failed inspections.
What the inspector saw: Eight foodborne illness risk factors earned the location a probationary rating. Those violations included a manager on site without “knowledge of foodborne disease prevention,” employee drinks stored above food, trays blocking hand-washing stations, raw eggs sitting on top of cooked pork, walk-in shelves “heavily encrusted with food debris,” unsafe food temperatures, and food stored without adequate date marking. Most were corrected on site.
Follow-up: The restaurant failed a July 11 follow-up, but passed another on July 21.
Response: Messages left with a manager were not returned.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In July:
History: This location has had exclusively "good" and "excellent" ratings since opening in 2000.
What the inspector saw: Seven risk factors, which earned the location a probationary rating. Among them were a manager who did not take initiative to correct problems, poor hand-washing and food handling practices, an obstructed hand-washing station, inadequately cleaned equipment including “grossly unsanitary” cutting boards, unsafe food storage temperatures and inadequately labeled chemicals. Several were addressed during the inspection.
Follow-up: The restaurant passed a July 18 follow-up inspection.
Response: In a written response, operations manager Scott Seather said, “We were surprised and disappointed to hear that one of our Tucson Village Inn restaurants … failed a recent health inspection. When we heard the news, we immediately took action and investigated the situation. Village Inn promptly passed a health re-inspection, and will continue to make our guests’ and employees’ safety the number one priority.”
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In July:
History: Since 2002, the restaurant has received "good" and "excellent" ratings exclusively. These were its first failed inspections.
What the inspector saw: Eight risk factors, earning the restaurant a probationary rating. These included obstructed hand-washing sinks, eggs stored above ready-to-eat foods, improper food handling practices, inadequate food cooling practices, no customer disclosure about the risks of undercooked foods, and unlabeled cleaning chemicals.
Follow-up: The location failed an Aug. 1 follow-up inspection.
Response: Ernest Aguirre, the restaurant’s owner, said most of the violations were corrected between the two inspections, and he expects to pass the second follow-up. “I think we should be passing the inspection,” he said. “I’ve been checking the temperatures and everything is good.”
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In July:
History: Other than one other "needs improvement" rating, the restaurant has received exclusively "good" and "excellent" ratings.
What the inspector saw: A handful of violations during a July 19 inspection, earning it a "needs improvement" rating, which is not as serious as a fail but still prompts a follow-up inspection. Among the violations were an obstructed hand-washing station, unsafe food temperatures, and the use of unapproved pest control chemicals.
Follow-up: The restaurant failed its first reinspection on July 20, but passed the next day.
Response: Owner Sung Ho Kang said, “It’s not going to happen again.”
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In July:
History: Records of previous inspections are not available on the health department's website, but co-owner Ramiro Flores said the restaurant has been open since 2013 and passed all previous inspections.
What the inspector saw: Nine risk factors on July 25, earning the restaurant a probationary rating. The violations included a manager who did not “demonstrate adequate food safety knowledge” and noted to the inspector that they use Google to look up requirements; no procedures in place for “vomiting or diarrheal” events; inadequate hand-washing and food handling practices; raw bacon stored above ready-to-eat foods; food held at unsafe temperatures; and no disclosure of undercooked food hazards on its menu. Several were corrected on site.
Follow-up: Flores said the restaurant was reinspected Friday and passed, though documentation of the follow-up was not immediately available on the county's website.
Response: Flores said the restaurant has taken a number of measures since the inspection, including purchasing new cooling equipment, signing employees up for training, and putting food safety and hand-washing signs up for workers. "We just wanted to make it as easy as possible for our cooks to comply and have the knowledge," he said.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In June:
History: Since September 2015, has received only ratings of excellent.
What the inspector saw: Six critical violations on June 3, earning the restaurant a “probationary” rating. These included improper food cooling and handling practices, a meat saw “encrusted with meat debris,” dishes being washed but not sanitized, and inadequate labeling of food. Additionally, several roaches were seen coming out of the floor sink.
Follow-up: While all of the violations were resolved by the June 13 follow-up inspection, the store did not pay its reinspection fee, which resulted in a failed inspection.
Response: Several attempts to contact the store for comment were unsuccessful.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In June:
History: Since 2002, the restaurant has exclusively received ratings of good and excellent. These were its first failed inspections.
What the inspector saw: On June 3, there was no hand sink in the server area, resulting in a “needs improvement” rating. That rating is for restaurants where inspectors find fewer than five critical violations that cannot be resolved immediately.
Follow-up: The restaurant failed two follow-up inspections in June because no sink had been installed, but passed a July 6 inspection.
Response: An owner didn’t return a message seeking comment.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In June:
History: This was the restaurant’s first routine inspection.
What the inspector saw: Eight critical violations, including foods kept at unsafe temps, an employee slicing lemons with bare hands, improper food storage, seashells being used to serve meat products, inconsistent date marking, and raw sushi fish served without a consumer advisory posted.
Follow-up: The restaurant passed a July 1 reinspection.
Response: Jenny Lu, a Joy Buffet manager, said the violations have been corrected and that the inspector “sat down with me personally, and he taught me how to do everything.”
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In June:
History: Since 2014, the meat market has had three good ratings. This was its first failed inspection.
What the inspector saw: Six critical violations on June 22, including unsafe food temperatures, raw oysters stored above canned drinks, beans stored next to raw meat, an employee’s personal drink being stored in an ice machine, improper labeling of shellfish and unsafe storage of cleaning products. Many of the violations were dealt with on-site.
Follow-up: Passed a July 6 reinspection.
Response: Owner Claudia Gonzalez said none of the violations put customers at risk and that they have all been resolved.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In June:
History: Has received mostly good ratings since 2013, but has failed one other time and received one “needs improvement” rating.
What the inspector saw: Six critical violations on June 23, earning the restaurant a probationary rating. Violations included poor hand-washing practices, raw food being stored near ready-to-eat food, fried chicken being stored in a used cardboard box, seasoning and sauce containers covered in encrusted food, food without proper date labeling, and an unlabeled pink liquid.
Follow-up: A reinspection was not done within 10 days of the failed inspection, as is customary, because the restaurant is closed until July 14. A reinspection will be done after it reopens, according to a health department official.
Response: The restaurant was closed the week the Star tried to reach owners or managers for comment.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
In June:
History: Since 2008, this location has received exclusively good and excellent ratings.
What the inspector saw: This failed inspection stems from a March inspection in which an inspector saw there was no hand-washing station for a recently installed growler-filling station, resulting in a “needs improvement” rating. On June 23, a hand-washing station had still not been installed. The store is considering removing the growler-filling station, but if it is to remain, the store will need to submit plans to install a hand-washing sink.
Follow-up: There are no records of another follow-up.
Response: A company representative did not respond to requests for comment.
- By Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
Inadequate cooling of potentially hazardous foods got the Tanque Verde Swap Meet’s Mercado briefly shut down on June 10.
A county health inspector found that the two walk-in coolers on-site “are not capable of holding food at 41 degrees or less.”
Instead, hot dogs, cheese and beans and other food were found to be 50 degrees or warmer. Additionally, the temperature alarm had been sounding for several hours the day of the visit, indicating unsafe temperatures, and “food service continued” nevertheless, according to the inspection report.
The inspector found an additional five critical violations, which earned the cafeteria a “probationary” rating.
County staff visited the facility the next day and determined that the coolers were functioning properly, and keeping food below required temperatures.
“Facility is OK to do full menu service at this time,” the June 11 follow-up report reads, though it goes on to advise managers to “continue to monitor refrigeration, especially since monsoons are here.”
Beyond the cooler violations, the inspector observed an employee handling food with her bare hands, raw meat being stored above ready-to-eat food and a nonfunctioning dish sanitizer, all of which were corrected that day.
A statement provided by the swap meet’s operators says that they have “operated 10 different concessions and drink stands for over 40 years and this is the only incident that has ever closed a stand. It was immediately rectified and the Health Department cleared us to open the next day.”
Additionally, the “employee in question” for some of the violations will take a county-administered food management course.
“We are confident this will not recur,” it goes on to say.
This is the restaurant’s first failed inspection, and it has received ratings of “good” and “excellent” exclusively since 2000.
Normally follow-up inspections at failed facilities are conducted within 10 days of the inspection. However, because the Mercado is only open on the weekends, the visit is scheduled for Friday, June 24, a county spokeswoman said.
- By Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
Inadequate hand-washing practices and unsanitary meat handling, among other violations, earned local chain BK Tacos’ North First Avenue location a “probationary” rating from the county health department Wednesday.
The county inspector found eight critical violations, most of which were resolved or addressed on-site.
The inspector found meats kept below established temperatures for hot food, observed a BK employee handle a garbage can with gloves and then clean them off with dishwashing sprayer before returning to work, the same employee washing hands without soap, and cooked ribs ready for eating being placed on a cutting board covered with raw meat juices.
Additionally, the dish sanitizer tested negative for sanitizer three times, some food was stored without dates, and several bottles of cleaning supplies were stored without proper labeling.
Daphne Diaz, a BK shift supervisor, said the problems, which she described as “minor,” are “already fixed.” She added that a re-inspection is scheduled for Monday, and that all of the restaurant’s staff have been registered for the next available food safety class in July “so that this doesn’t happen anymore.”
The BK location, at 2680 N. First Ave., has received mostly “good” and “excellent” ratings since 2006, though it has received two “needs improvement” ratings. The most recent inspection was its first “probationary” rating, which was until recently known as a “provisional” rating.
- Murphy Woodhouse Arizona Daily Star
4,600: Food service licenses in Pima County
708: Excellent, good or passed inspections in June
25: Needs improvement inspections in June
9: Provisional and failed inspections in June
Source: Pima County Health Department
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