The worst Phoenix restaurant inspections of August

Cockroaches, moldy food and dirty equipment are never good sights to see in a kitchen. And they are just some of the more obvious issues health inspectors look for.

Every month, inspectors from the Maricopa County Environmental Services department visit Valley restaurants unannounced, ready to check the front and back of house for issues that are both obvious and harder to find.

They compile inspection reports, which are published online in a searchable database. And they rate restaurants on a two-tier scale. Foundation violations are issues that could cause a larger problem, such as a lack of paper towels could lead to improper hand washing. Priority violations are more serious issues that pose a direct threat to the health and safety of customers and staff.

Any restaurant that gets three or more priority violations earns the equivalent of a “D” letter grade. Issues must be fixed on the spot, and if that’s not possible, the inspector schedules a mandatory reinspection.

Inspectors visit hundreds of restaurants every month, and most pass with ease. But for some local eateries, the issues piled up. Here are the worst restaurant inspections from around Phoenix in August.

Rosati’s Pizza
1035 N. Ellsworth Road, Mesa
An inspector stopped by Rosati’s Pizza in Mesa on Aug. 3 and found three priority violations. A mandatory reinspection was scheduled. The inspector watched an employee grab salad mix with their bare hands. Cooked meatballs, pepperoni, spinach and cut tomatoes were all too warm. Cooked meatballs and chicken and alfredo sauce were dated July 12 and 13, more than 14 days past their discard date. Cooked ham was dated July 23. The inspector found ant and roach spray, roach tablets and bedbug and flea pest-control chemicals in the restaurant’s office. A broken cooler was being used to hold food.

Paul Martin’s American Grill
6186 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
On Aug. 3, an inspector visited Paul Martin’s American Grill, recorded three priority violations and scheduled a mandatory reinspection. A handwashing sink near the grill wasn’t draining properly. A dishwasher was running without any sanitizer. Pans of mashed potatoes and queso cheese sauce were below safe temperatures. Prime rib was dated July 21, short rib jus was from July 22 and vegetable stock was dated July 24. Garlic butter and beurre blanc sauce were held out at room temperature. 

Tempe Eats
85 E. Southern Ave., Tempe
The Tempe Eats food hall houses multiple different restaurant counters under one roof. On Aug. 4, an inspector visited the entire space and found four priority violations. There was raw salmon stored above cooked chicken and raw chicken wings stored above raw fish, creating the opportunity for cross-contamination. In the freezer, there were food scraps on the floor. Frozen cooling wands, blocks of ice used for rapidly cooling cooked liquids, were stored on that dirty floor next to boxes of food. There was mold and metal shavings on a can opener and overstuffed prep tables. In the walk-in, the inspector found foods dated from July 23 to 27, and in a storage area next to the walk-in, there were unspecified “small flying insects.”

AZ Pho and Grill
885 N. 54th St., Chandler
On Aug. 5, AZ Pho and Grill in Chandler received a visit and was issued four priority violations, some of which have been problems in the past as well. Raw chicken and eggs were stored above sauces and raw beef was stored above cooked beef. The dishwasher had no sanitizer. A pan of egg rolls was sitting out at room temperature. Various ointments, a first-aid kit and Tylenol were stored above noodles in the prep counter. In the front of the restaurant, Tylenol, Advil, Pepto Bismol and Tums were stored among sauces and above table seasonings. In the walk-in, boxes of vegetables and a container of tea were sitting on the ground. Two knives were stored between the cold holding unit and the wall, which was covered in food debris. The inspector also noted that the walls and floors around the dishwasher, under the prep tables and around shelving were covered with grease, food scraps and residue. This issue of a visibly dirty kitchen was noted as a sixth-time repeat violation. 

Thai Food Corner
5253 E. Brown Road, Mesa
An inspector visited Thai Food Corner in Mesa on Aug. 11, noted four priority violations and scheduled a mandatory reinspection. The most unappetizing discovery may have been live cockroaches in the kitchen. The inspector also found several bags of raw chicken, pork and beef in the same container, with blood mixing from the thawing meats. A cutting machine used for slicing chicken was covered in dried food scraps. Pork egg roll mixture was sitting at room temperature. Foods including yellow curry, raw beef, cooked shrimp, chicken and cream cheese were all too warm and two reach-in coolers were holding between 50 and 58 degrees.

Pizza Shack Slice House
7145 E. Main St., Mesa
On Aug. 13, an inspector found moldy cucumbers and dead cockroaches in the kitchen at Pizza Shack Slice House in Mesa. Raw eggs were stored above deli meats and chili was measured on the stove at 100 degrees. Multiple foods, including ham, cheese, sausage, pizza sauce, spaghetti and alfredo were held above safe temperatures. A reach-in cooler and prep cooler weren’t staying cold enough. That racked up four priority violations and a mandatory reinspection for the restaurant.

Four Seasons Sushi Bar and Grill
1652 N. Highley Road, Gilbert
At Four Seasons Sushi Bar and Grill in Gilbert, an inspector recorded four priority violations and another seven foundation violations on Aug. 14. There was a large batch of fried chicken sitting out on the counter, which staff said had been made for the owner to take home. A sushi chef handled jalapeno poppers with their bare hands. The handwashing sink didn’t have adequately hot water. Raw salmon and tuna were stored above imitation crab and cream cheese. There was no sanitizer in the dishwasher. Macaroni salad, raw shrimp, chopped lettuce and noodles were all too warm. Of the 11 total violations, eight were noted as repeat issues.

Prep & Pastry
7025 E. Via Soleri Drive, Scottsdale
At Scottsdale brunch spot Prep & Pastry, an Aug. 17 inspection resulted in four priority violations. An employee didn’t properly wash their hands after handling raw chicken, which may have been related to issues with the handwashing sinks throughout the restaurant. At the hand sink in the coffee bar, there were no paper towels. At the hand sink along the main cooking line, there was a large portable AC unit blocking access. And at the hand sink in the back prep area, there was a trash can blocking the sink and a large pan stored on top of the basin. In the prep refrigerator, a pan of raw chicken was sitting above raw eggs. There was no sanitizer in the dishwasher. Many foods, including cheddar, brie, goat and blue cheeses, chopped lettuce, yogurt and sliced deli meats, were all held above safe temperatures. Hollandaise sauce was sitting out at room temperature and three prep refrigerators weren’t cold enough to keep food at safe temperatures.

The Breakfast Club
2 E. Jefferson St.
On Aug. 25, an inspector stopped by The Breakfast Club on Jefferson Street in downtown Phoenix and noted four priority violations. There were moldy wonton wrappers and truffle butter was stored at room temperature. The dishwasher had no sanitizer, and the inspector found bloody mary mix in the walk in from Aug. 11. The out-of-date mix was noted as a second-time repeat issue. 

Bonchon
780 W. Elliot Road, Tempe
An inspector visited the Bonchon on Elliot Road in Tempe on Aug. 25 and recorded four priority violations. Raw eggs were stored above bags of sauce and raw chicken was stored above raw beef in the reach-in cooler. Multiple foods, including raw eggs, raw chicken and corn with mayo were above safe temperatures, measuring between 45 and 60 degrees. A butane canister was stored on a shelf above clean utensils and sauces. The handles and faucet of the hand sink were covered with grease, and handles of multiple refrigerator doors and reach-in coolers had food debris stuck to them.

Frederico’s Mexican Food
5865 W. Baseline Road, Laveen Village
At Frederico’s Mexican Food on Baseline Road in Laveen, an inspector noted five priority violations on an Aug. 26 visit. There was no sanitizer at the dish sink, and an employee was washing dishes without sanitizing them. A steam table wasn’t holding water hot enough, leading birria to measure at an unsafe temperature. There were various medicines and first-aid supplies on a dry storage shelf above seasonings and bottled drinks and a personal water bottle was stored in the ice used for drinks.

Thai House Restaurant
1155 S. Power Road, Mesa
A health inspector visited Mesa’s Thai House Restaurant on Aug. 26 and recorded three priority violations. Raw shrimp, tilapia and chicken were store directly above cooked chicken. A container of cooked beef measured at 70 degrees and coconut milk was 80 degrees. In a container of chili sauce, the inspector found a spoon completely submerged. The hand sink faucet and pipes underneath the prep sink were both leaking. And the inspector found an unapproved meat and poultry cutter. The unapproved equipment was noted as a repeated violation.