From a rusty meat grinder to mold: 23 places fail health inspections in January

TACOS Y HOT DOGS EL KORA

6126 S. Nogales Highway

History: Since the early 2000s, the location has had a mixed inspection record, with a number of “needs improvement” ratings along with good and excellent ratings. This was its second failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector observed 11 priority violations, including inadequate handwashing practices, a blocked hand sink, hand sinks without soap and paper towels, raw beef stored above ready-to-eat foods, utensils not being sanitized, foods stored above established temperatures and unlabeled spray bottles.

Follow-up: El Kora passed a Jan. 19 follow-up.

Response: A message seeking comment was not returned.

CIRCLE K

6485 E. Golf Links Road

History: Since the early 2000s, the convenience store has almost exclusively received inspection ratings of good and excellent, though it did have a “needs improvement” warning in 2016. This was its first failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector observed just one priority violation: a roller not keeping food above 135 degrees. That had not been addressed by the Jan. 16 follow-up, earning the Circle K a fail.

Follow-up: The chain location passed on Jan. 26.

Response: “All items noted ... have been addressed with store employees and our facilities department,” spokeswoman Donna Humphrey said in an email.

CIRCLE K

1602 E. Broadway

History: Since the early 2000s, the chain location has exclusively received inspection ratings of good and excellent. This was its first failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector saw five priority violations, including no hand sink in the warewashing area, insufficient washing of hot-dog tongs, a roller not keeping foods sufficiently hot, a cooler not keeping food sufficiently cool and a package of hot dogs without date marking.

Follow-up: No follow-up had been conducted by press time, according to online records.

Response: The Circle K spokeswoman did not respond to this inspection specifically by deadline.

COMFORT INN

1560 W. Grant Road

History: Since 2011, the hotel has exclusively received inspection ratings of good and excellent. This was its first failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector saw five priority violations, including no sanitizer test strips on premises, no food thermometer on site and a certified food protection manager certificate that did not “appear to be from one of the five approved providers.” The person in charge was also not able to answer basic food safety questions.

Follow-up: The hotel passed a Jan. 16 follow-up.

Response: “The staff and management of the Comfort Inn take food safety as a top priority,” general manager Glenda Jerezano said in an email. “When notified of the violations, the team took this as a training opportunity. They immediately corrected the deficiencies and passed the re-inspection.”

9101 N. Thornydale Road

History: Since the early 2000s, the golf course has largely received inspection ratings of excellent, but has had two “needs improvement” ratings.

What the inspector saw: The inspector found two priority violations, including a two-compartment sink when a three-compartment sink is required.

Follow-up: The facility failed its first follow-up on Jan. 16, and another had not been conducted by press time, according to online Health Department records.

Response: A message seeking comment was not returned.

DEVON GABLES REHABILITATION CENTER

6150 E. Grant Road

History: Since the early 2000s, the center has exclusively received inspection ratings of good and excellent. This was its first failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector found three priority violations, including a blocked hand sink, a dishwasher showing no residual chlorine and a slicer and other equipment with encrusted food debris.

Follow-up: Devon Gables passed a Jan. 22 follow-up inspection.

Response: Administrator Heather Friebus said, “we’ve corrected all the violations and we’re in compliance, paid all of our fees and we’re good to go.”

EAST COAST SUPER SUBS

187 N. Park Ave.

History: Since the mid-2000s, the restaurant has generally received inspection ratings of good and excellent, but has failed three previous inspections.

What the inspector saw: The inspector observed just four priority violations, under the five normally required for a failing probationary rating. However, one of those violations — issues with cold holding — was seen in three recent inspections, establishing what the Health Department calls a “pattern of noncompliance.”

Follow-up: The restaurant passed a follow-up on Jan. 26.

Response: Owner Keith McNesby said, "I care about my customers and I care about doing the right thing. The customers need to understand that when I do wrong, I rectify it."

FAMOUS WOK

6401 W. Marana Center Blvd.

History: The restaurant has had three previous routine inspections and received two excellent ratings and one good.

What the inspector saw: The inspector noted nine priority violations, including an employee handle raw chicken and proceed to handle vegetables, a hand sink without paper towels, equipment stored as clean with food debris and sanitizer below established concentrations.

Follow-up: No follow-up inspection had occurred by press time, according to online health department records.

Response: The Star was unable to reach the restaurant at the number available online.

FAS FUEL

3601 N. Oracle Road

History: Since the mid-2000s, the convenience store has exclusively received inspection ratings of good and excellent. This was its first failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector observed 10 priority violations, including a hand sink without hot water, no soap or towels in the bathroom hand sink and milk kept above established temperatures.

Follow-up: Fas Fuel failed a Feb. 5 follow-up.

Response: Several attempts to leave a message for comment were unsuccessful.

GEE’S GARDEN RESTAURANT

1145 N. Alvernon Way

History: Since the mid-2000s, the restaurant has almost exclusively received inspection ratings of good and excellent. This was its second failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector observed 11 priority violations, including an unlabeled spray bottle with degreaser, fly paper above a food preparation area, tofu kept past expiration date, food stored without date marking, coolers not keeping foods at established temperatures, no sanitizer in the dishwasher and equipment blocking a hand sink.

Follow-up: The restaurant passed a Jan. 16 follow-up.

Response: A message seeking comment was not returned.

GINZA SUSHI

5425 N. Kolb Road

History: Since the late 2000s, the restaurant has exclusively received inspection ratings of good and excellent. This was its first failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector found 12 priority violations, including an employee washing gloved hands, another peel cucumbers bare handed, a hand sink blocked with ice, a wet cloth on a ready-to-eat cucumber, utensils with food debris stored as clean, no detectable sanitizer in sanitizer bucket, foods kept above established cold holding temperatures, butane stored over ginger and raw beef stored over ready-to-eat foods in a refrigerator.

Follow-up: The restaurant passed a follow-up inspection on Jan. 23.

Response: A message seeking comment was not returned.

GUADALAJARA FIESTA GRILL

750 N. Kolb Road

History: Since 2016, the restaurant has had a mixed inspection record and one previous failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector found seven priority violations, including a handwashing station without soap, inadequate sanitizer levels for warewashing, beans kept below established hot holding temperatures, some stored foods kept beyond discard dates and inadequate consumer advisories in lunch menus.

Follow-up: The restaurant passed a Jan. 17 follow-up.

Response: A message seeking comment was not returned.

GUILIN RESTAURANT

4445 E. Broadway

History: Since 2015, the restaurant has had a mixed record, with a few passing ratings and one previous failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector noted nine priority violations, including an employee touching their face and then handling food without changing gloves or washing their hands, raw shrimp stored above ready to eat foods, inadequate sanitizing of cutting boards, a meat grinder with rust and food residue, ready to eat food stored on dusty shelves, inadequate cooling of food and improper temperature control practices.

Follow-up: The restaurant passed a follow-up inspection on Jan. 17.

Response: A message seeking comment was not returned.

INCA’S PERUVIAN

6878 E. Sunrise Dr.

History: Since 2010, the restaurant has largely received inspection ratings of good and excellent, but it did have one previous failed inspection in 2012.

What the inspector saw: The inspector found six priority violations, including shellfish without required documentation, some equipment stored with food debris and curry stored above established temperatures.

Follow-up: The restaurant passed a follow-up two days later on Jan. 26.

Response: “We apologize for those violations,” owner Fatima Campos said. “I am very, very sorry. We provided a correction plan immediately in writing, and I submitted it right away to (the Health Department), and we took immediate action the day of the inspection. We cleaned every single item in the kitchen.”

5447 E. 22nd St.

History: Since the early 2000s, the chain location has almost exclusively received inspection ratings of good and excellent. Both of its failed inspections were within the last several months.

What the inspector saw: In mid-December, the inspector noted two priority violations, including live roaches at “various life stages” in several areas and a three-compartment sink draining directly to the sewer. The pizzeria failed a Jan. 3 follow-up. On Jan. 17, an inspector again observed live cockroaches, though the sink issue had been addressed. The failure to control the roach infestation resulted in a failing probationary rating.

Follow-up: The restaurant failed a Jan. 29 follow-up, and another had not occurred by press time, according to online health department records.

Response: On two occasions, employees hung up on the Star when reached for comment.

MAE’S CHINESE

2475 S. Harrison Road

History: Since 2015, the restaurant has only received inspection ratings of good and excellent. This was its first failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector observed nine priority violations, including an employee wash their hands in the dump sink, another handle lemons for drinks with bare hands, four tomatoes with a mold-like substance on them, raw shrimp stored above ready-to-eat meats, dirty knives stored as clean and noodles stored without date marking.

Follow-up: The restaurant passed a Jan. 29 follow-up.

Response: Manager Suda Washburn said, “We fixed it right away. Done.”

RAMADA LIMITED TUCSON WEST

665 N. Freeway

History: Since the late 2000s, the hotel has largely received inspection ratings of good and excellent, though it has had one previous “needs improvement” rating.

What the inspector saw: The inspector found two priority violations, including no thermometer for food temperatures and no test strips for chlorine sanitizer.

Follow-up: The hotel failed a follow-up inspection on Jan. 22 because it purchased an air temperature thermometer instead of a food thermometer and test strips for a sanitizer it doesn’t use. It passed another follow-up later that same day.

Response: A message seeking comment was not returned.

RISKY BUSINESS

6866 E. Sunrise Drive

History: Since the early 2000s, the restaurant has largely received inspection ratings of good and excellent, but had two previous failing probationary ratings and “needs improvement” ratings.

What the inspector saw: The inspector noted six priority violations, including a handwashing issue, bare handed touching of bread, pans with food debris stored as clean, and cooked chicken stored without date markings.

Follow-up: The restaurant passed a Jan. 24 follow-up.

Response: General manager Tom Kruszewski said the restaurant passed the follow-up with “flying colors,” adding later: “Our past record has always been great and we are in compliance.”

9165 E. Tanque Verde Road

History: This appears to have been its first routine inspection, according to online records.

What the inspector saw: The inspector found 20 priority violations, including a blocked hand sink, raw shrimp stored above ready to eat food, dishes and utensils stored as clean with food debris, inadequate sanitizing of cutting boards, foods not kept above and below established temperatures, and chemicals stored with alcohol, among a number of other violations.

Follow-up: The restaurant passed a Jan. 16 follow-up.

Response: A message seeking comment was not returned.

THE DUTCH EATERY & REFUGE

943 E. University Blvd.

History: This was the restaurant’s first routine inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector found eight priority violations, including a menu without asterisks indicating which items are served undercooked or raw, tomatoes and potatoes stored past discard dates, walk-in refrigerator not keeping food sufficiently cool and arugula tossed with bare hands.

Follow-up: A follow-up had not occurred by press time, according to online Health Department records.

Response: In an emailed response, director of operations John Thompson said, “We fixed all items while the inspectors were on site. Food safety is our top priority and we want to ensure our customers that we take this very seriously!”

8987 E. Tanque Verde Road

History: Since the early 2000s the restaurant has almost exclusively received inspection ratings of good and excellent. This was its first failed inspection.

What the inspector saw: The inspector noted six priority violations, including foods stored above established temperatures, a hand sink without hot water and raw eggs stored above ready-to-eat chorizo.

Follow-up: The restaurant passed a follow-up inspection on Jan. 18.

Response: Vivian Stanchfield, the restaurant’s owner, said her staff has been doing things the same for years and hadn’t failed until the most recent inspection. “We haven’t changed,” she said.

WELCOME DINER

902 E. Broadway

History: This was its second routine inspection. It passed the first with a good rating.

What the inspector saw: The inspector observed eight priority violations, including improper handwashing practices, an employee grabbing a biscuit barehanded, knives with encrusted food debris, some foods stored above established cold-holding temperatures and preparing sous vide meats without an approved plan.

Follow-up: The diner passed a Jan. 16 follow-up.

Response: “We were quickly able to correct our errors, the health department returned on the 16th and we passed with zero violations!” general manager Connor Mansager said in an email.

WORLD DINING

3760 N. Commerce Drive

History: Since 2007, the operation at this location has exclusively received inspection ratings of good and excellent. This was its first failed rating.

What the inspector saw: The inspector found a single priority violation: a food slicer on which tape had been used to address an issue with the device.

Follow-up: The equipment was sent for repairs but had not returned by the time of the follow-up inspection, resulting in a fail. Another follow-up has yet to be conducted.

Response: Anthony Williams, the cafeteria manager at the site, said the slicer is still being repaired, a process delayed by the ordering of the wrong part, but he expects to pass as soon as it is returned.