RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS
Three businesses red-tagged in city’s latest inspection report
These are summaries of Albuquerque Environmental Health restaurant inspections. For more information or to view previous reports, visit .
GREEN: Food establishment received a passing grade, demonstrating the skills to create a safe and sanitary food-service environment.
YELLOW: Food establishment can operate but must follow a plan to correct violations observed during inspection.
RED: Food establishment had major violations that presented an imminent hazard and required an immediate downgrade or closure.
March 29-April 4
GREEN
Applebee’s, 10600 Lomas NE (March 31)
Bob’s Burgers, 305 Eubank NE (March 30)
Chaco Hotel, 2000 Bellamah NW (April 1)
Chick-fil-A, 3801 Ellison NW (April 1)
Chipotle Mexican Grill, 3400 N.M. 528 NW (March 31)
Church’s Chicken, 140 98th NW (March 31)
Herman Sanchez Child Development Center, 1830 William SE (March 30)
Corporate Dining Inc., 5421 Jefferson NE (March 30)
Dutch Bros. Coffee, 10001 Central NE (March 30)
Fantastic Food Inc., 406 Central SW (April 1)
Hilton Garden Inn, 6510 Americas NE (March 30)
Mario’s Pizza, 2401 San Pedro NE (April 1)
Maverik Country Store, 9701 Bluewater NW (April 1)
McDonald’s, 2305 Central NE (April 2)
McDonald’s, 8601 Central NE (March 31)
McDonald’s 364, 5324 4th NW (March 30)
M'tucci’s Twenty-Five, 4939 Pan American NE (March 31)
NMYJ Coronado Inc., 6600 Menaul NE (April 1)
Pho Nho, 2641 Coors NW (March 31)
Presbyterian, 1100 Central SE (April 3)
Roni’s Mac Bar, 2108 Central SE (April 3)
Sawmill Market, 1909 Bellamah NW (April 1)
Scooter’s Coffee, 2509 San Mateo NE (March 30)
T-Mobile, 5421 Jefferson NE (March 30)
The Cake Boutique, 3250 Coors NW (April 3)
The Shop/Nightshift, 2933 Monte Vista NE (April 1)
Walmart, 8511 Golf Course NW (April 1)
Wendy’s, 410 Eubank NE (April 3)
YELLOW
Church’s Chicken, 401 Louisiana SE (March 30)
Dutch Bros. Coffee, 10001 Central NE (March 30)
RED
Black Angus, 2290 Wyoming NE (Class C)
Chemical sanitizer concentrations and temperatures failed to meet the required parameters for food-contact surfaces. Food-contact equipment, including ice machines and slicers, had significant soil and food debris buildup. Poisonous materials, such as ice melt and hand sanitizer, were stored next to food items and service supplies. Multiple dead cockroaches were allowed to accumulate in the dining room and storage areas. Substantial leaks were found in the plumbing system above the dish machine, where chemicals are dispensed. The establishment failed to have a certified food protection manager on staff. Working containers of food were not identified with their common names after being removed from original packaging. Nonfood-contact surfaces in the chemical storage room were made of damaged, absorbent synthetic wood. Holes and gaps, some the size of a baseball, were present in the walls, ceilings and floors. The waste storage area was unclean with substantial grease and debris buildup. Facility was cluttered with unnecessary, nonfunctional items such as old electrical cords and unused furniture. The facility lacked a designated area for employees to eat, drink or use tobacco products. No handwashing cleanser was available at the sink in the ice cream preparation area. A handwashing sink was blocked and made inaccessible by stored croutons. Lighting in the walk-in refrigerators was too dim to allow for safe operations and thorough cleaning. Cold-holding units lacked the required temperature-measuring devices. A food employee was observed preparing seafood without proper hair restraints. The facility failed to post a grade sticker from its most recent inspection. The required food permit was not posted at the establishment. The facility had insufficient hot water, with restroom sinks only reaching 67 degrees. An employee returned to work without washing hands after smoking and handling outside items with gloves. Debris and buildup were found under cold-holding units, inside walk-in refrigerators and on kitchen walls. Single-service articles were stored outside of their original packaging and not protected from contamination. Substantial debris buildup was found behind kitchen stoves and underneath dining room booths. The kitchen ceiling was constructed of materials that were not smooth or easily cleanable. Floor and wall juncture tiles were damaged or missing, preventing proper cleaning.
Result: Closure (March 31); re-inspection required (March 31)
Black Angus, 2290 Wyoming NE (Class B)
The quaternary ammonium sanitizer used for food-contact surfaces measured at 0 ppm. The chlorine sanitizer solution in the bar’s warewashing machine also measured at 0 ppm. Significant debris buildup was found inside the ice machine’s chute and deflector, as well as inside the bar’s ice well. A green cleaning bucket was not labeled with the common name of the chemical solution it contained. Cockroaches were found throughout the facility, including the bar area, sinks and walls. Rodent droppings were discovered throughout the dining room, bar and on top of wiping cloths in a storage closet. Commercially prepared strawberry and lemonade purees were stored in coolers without required date markings. The beverage dispenser in the bar lacked a drip cup, allowing waste liquid to drip onto surfaces below. The person in charge failed to demonstrate basic food safety knowledge, contributing to seven priority violations. A floor drain on the south side of the bar was backing up with grey water and sewage. The handwashing sink faucet leaked profusely and poured water onto the floor when turned on. Floor drains in the bar area were missing protective covers and contained various miscellaneous items. Multiple piping systems, including those for handwashing and drain sinks, lacked an adequate air gap to prevent backflow. The establishment did not have a certified food protection manager on staff for this permit. Restroom handwashing sinks failed to provide hot water, with temperatures reaching only 67–68 degrees. A large gap was present in the center of the outside doors, failing to keep the facility tight-fitting against pests. Debris, syrups and liquids were observed splashing over open ice used for drinks in the bar service area. The handwashing sink in the bar area was missing the required reminder signage for employees. Heavy debris and buildup were found on the floors, walls and ceiling of the bar area. To-go supplies and beverage straws were stored directly on the floor in a storage closet. Significant debris had accumulated on the handles, doors and interiors of the bar area coolers. Walls in the bar area were in poor repair with numerous holes, gaps and cracks. The bar walls were constructed of absorbent particle board that was soiled with debris, cockroach droppings and dead cockroaches.
Result: Closure (March 31); re-inspection required (March 31)
Sushi Freak, 5600 Coors NW
A clear spray bottle containing degreaser was not labeled with its common name. Multiple unknown squeeze bottles at prep stations and containers in the walk-in cooler lacked required date markings. The facility was operating outside the constraints of its approved sushi variance by keeping cooked rice at room temperature without a time stamp. Cooked rice was held at 67 degrees without the required time as a public health control documentation. The hand sink and prep sink faucets were in disrepair and dripping constantly because the valves would not shut off properly. Several food items in the prep top cooler, including tofu and sprouts, were measured at unsafe temperatures up to 47 degrees. No hand cleanser was available at the back kitchen handwashing station. No approved method for drying hands was provided at the back-room handwashing station. Debris and buildup were found on the floors of the walk-in cooler, under the three-compartment sinks and under dry storage shelving. Knives, spoons and scoops were stored in hot utensil wells that failed to maintain the required 135 degrees.
Result: Unsatisfactory (April 3); re-inspection required (April 3)
Taco Mania, 806 Old Coors SW
No chemical sanitizer was being used at the facility to treat food-contact surfaces. Significant food debris and soil buildup were found inside reach-in coolers, the microwave and on the outdoor BBQ grill. Seven dead cockroaches were observed accumulating in the water heater area of the kitchen. Prepared food items, including chopped tomatoes, onions and potatoes, were stored in the cooler without required date markings. The faucet on the three-compartment sink was in disrepair and leaking water. There was an inadequate air gap below both the three-compartment sink and the handwashing sink to prevent backflow. The establishment failed to have a certified food protection manager on staff. Food employees did not have valid food handler cards. The facility did not have a testing kit available to measure the concentration of sanitizing solutions. No handwashing cleanser was available for employee use in the kitchen area. No approved method for drying hands was provided at the kitchen handwashing sink. The required handwashing reminder signage was missing from the sink in the kitchen. The handwashing sink was improperly used for storage, with a container and food found inside the basin. The facility lacked a required ambient air thermometer for the reach-in freezer and coolers. The establishment was found to be operating with an expired food permit. Debris and buildup were observed on the facility's entry door, ceiling vents and the poles above the outdoor BBQ grill. The kitchen area was in disrepair, with holes in the walls and ceiling and missing ceiling tiles.
Result: Closure (April 1); re-inspection required (April 1); unsatisfactory (April 3); re-inspection required (April 3)