LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Health inspectors recently visited several local restaurants for routine checks, catching some owners off guard. While many passed with flying colors, two establishments didn’t fare so well.
The Paleta Bar, located in the South Plains Mall on Slide Road, accumulated a total of 18 violations during their inspection:
- Cheese sat out for over four hours, exceeding the safe temperature of 41 degrees.
- Warm corn was below the required temperature of 135 degrees.
- No thermometer was found in the warmer, nor was there a food thermometer available.
- The sanitizer solution lacked the necessary strength.
- Test strips for the sanitizer were absent.
- No soap or paper towels were available at the hand sink.
- Dish detergent was improperly stored in the hand sink, which is meant only for hand washing.
- A knife was found with a broken tip.
- The soap and sanitizer dispenser at the 3-compartment sink was not operational.
- The waste pipe from the 3-compartment sink was not correctly plumbed.
- No records were available to show that the grease trap was serviced in the past 90 days, and standing water was noted in the waste pipe.
- There was no certified food manager present.
The inspector remarked that the number and type of violations indicated a lack of proper food safety knowledge from the management. It’s important to note that the facility is under new ownership and is currently without a valid food permit, which cannot be transferred.
Core also faced issues, with several violations identified:
- Containers of chips, chocolate, oil, and toppings were stored directly on the floor or in containers less than six inches off the ground. Although no contamination was visible, this practice is concerning.
- The floor sink for the 3-compartment sink showed poor drainage, with a high water level in the drain pipe.
- A wet mop head was stored improperly in an empty bucket, preventing it from air drying.
Fortunately, many violations at both locations were corrected during the inspection.
On a brighter note, one restaurant stood out as a repeat Top Performer:
- Domino’s Pizza at 5815 82nd Street received high marks for food safety.
It’s essential for restaurants to maintain proper food safety practices to protect local diners.
