5 nearby Valley restaurants fail health inspections

Food not stored at proper temperatures, expired food keep for use and no expirations dates on food were among the violations that caused several nearby restaurants to fail their county health inspection.

Maricopa County routinely inspects restaurants to ensure the quality and safety of food. Health inspectors look for violations, such as storing food at improper temperatures, not washing hands or other maintenance and safety issues.

Each of these violations is assigned a point value, which is then used to determine the restaurant’s score. A gold star is the highest ranking possible and means a business scored in the top 25 percent; a silver star denotes a restaurant scoring in the middle 50 percent, and no award means a restaurant scored in the bottom 25 percent.

If a restaurant receives no award, they are later inspected and given the opportunity to comply with the health inspector’s complaints. Here is a look at those locations and a few of the violations that caused them to fail their inspection in July.

Baseline Sports Bar & Grill – 201 E. Baseline Rd.: Observed employee conduct a four-second hand wash. Asked employee to wash again, and employee washed properly. No certified food manager trained individual on staff, or no proof of training. Need to obtain certified food manager for establishment.

On the Border – 5005 E. Ray Rd.: Physical facilities not maintained in good repair; food not protected from contamination.

Zoyo! Neighborhood Yogurt – 4923 E. Chandler Blvd.: Toilet rooms used by women not provided with at least one covered waste receptacle. Observed large container of root beer yogurt in refrigerator without date mark and, per employee, was emptied from yogurt machine two days ago.

Abuelo’s Mexican Embassy #14 – 3440 W. Chandler Blvd.: Food contact surfaces and equipment are not cleaned frequently and properly to prevent food contamination. Cold, potentially hazardous foods not held at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below

Streets of New York #16 – 5965 W. Ray Rd.: In the walk-in refrigerator, a pan of pastrami was dated 7/16/10. Today is 7/26/10, and no more than 7 days storage is allowed. Toxic cleaners were found stored next to sheet pans. In the top part of the make table refrigerator, beans were 52 degrees, corn was 52 degrees, and Alfredo sauce was 57 degrees. The foods were relocated; they are required to be below 41 degrees. Repair needed on the refrigerator.

File photo