Five restaurants failed July health inspections, and most passed follow-up inspections. Here’s what you need know:
• Nico’s Taco Shop, 7878 E. Wrightstown Road
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.
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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.
• Village Inn, 4245 E. Speedway
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 ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ 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 reinspection and will continue to make our guests’ and employees’ safety the number one priority.â€
• Olé Mexican Grill, 2080 W. Orange Grove Road
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.â€
• Wings and Rice, 5502 E. Pima St.
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.â€
• Amigos Burgers and Beer, 6372 S. Nogales Highway
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.
Compiled by reporter Murphy Woodhouse from Pima County Health Department records. mwoodhouse@tucson.com or 573-4235.