La Vaquerita Mexican Restaurant

Employee observed touching ready to eat (tortillas post grilling) with bare hands when single-use gloves or utensils are required. COS: Cook put on gloves. CA: Use a barrier when handling food that is ready to consume and is not going through a cooking/heating process that will reach 145F or above.

Observed diced tomatoes double stacked on top of lettuce in top of prep cooler. COS: Discarded. CA; Provide ice bath, internal storage of tomatoes in working cold holding unit, or add additional cold holding unit to accommodate additional TCS food product storage needs to ensure 41F or below storage.

Observed items thawing at room temperature in one side of 2 compartment prep sink and the other side with running water at 72F at an insufficient amount velocity to touch all TCS food product (bagged raw chicken). CA: Move all but a minimum number of thawing products to a cooler. Code: Thaw under refrigeration that maintains the food temperature at 41°F (5°C) or less or completely submerged under running water at a water temperature of 70°F (21°C) or below.

Observed tamales stored uncovered directly on shelf of reach in freezer. CA: prior to freezing, place in ANSI covered food grade container. Code: food shall be protected from contamination by storing the food in a clean, dry location where it is not exposed to splash, dust, or other contamination.

Cooks missing beard guards and effective hair restraints. CA: Provide.

Observed watches and bracelets on cooks. CA: remove any jewelry from wrists. May only have a single band type ring on the finger if jewelry is to be worn.

Observed stained and broken ceiling tiles in storage area. Replace damaged ceiling tiles. Code requires that all physical facilities shall be maintained in good repair.

Observed candle and speaker on shelf adjacent to and above pass thru window. Observed coffee cup in to go window that is positioned adjacent to and above prep top cooler. CA: Provide a sufficient area for employee activity. Code: Areas designated for employees to eat, drink, use tobacco products and electronic devices shall be located so that food, equipment, linens, and single-service and single-use articles are protected from contamination.

Observed light not shielded above reach in cooler and freezer in storage area. CA: Install shield.

Observed raw steak above salsa, raw chicken beside cooked meat, raw fish beside hotdog, raw shelled egg beside pico, raw chorizo beside cut peppers. PIC moved items to appropriate locations.

Observed multiple cooked items without date labels. PIC added date labels.

Observed in prep top reach in cooler raw steak beside cooked beef and pineapple; observed raw chicken beside ready to eat salsa; observed in two door reach in cooler tomato directly on top of raw whole tilapia; raw chicken wings and chorizo beside ready to eat salsa and onions./adhere to proper storage guidelines, provided storage order poster

Observed employee personal prescribed medication stored next to dry foods./corrected

Observed raw chicken beside raw steak, raw fish beside cooked food, raw chicken beside refried beans, raw fish beside ready to eat food. PIC moved items to appropriate location.

Observed multiple open bags in dry storage.

Observed raw tilapia fillets stored over jalapenos, salsas and and next to queso fresco; observed raw shelled eggs stored over cooked chicken and chile poblano in reach in cooler./PIC moved to proper stacking order

Observed many foods stored directly on the floor in dry storage area./All foods must be stored at least 6 inches off the floor to prevent contamination.

Observed several plastic bowls used as scoop without handles

Observed raw chicken stored on top of raw steak at small reach in cooler by front line, observed raw chicken stored on top of ready to eat salsa at reach in cooler allowing potential cross contamination /adhere to stacking order to prevent cross contamination

Observed unlabeled working bottles by 3 compartment sink./All chemicals and working container stored outside of original bottle must be labeled to prevent contamination

Observed daylight showing at back door./replace weather strip/gasket to prevent potential pest entry

Observed stained wall by prep sink, observed stained ceiling tiles in back storage area./clean as needed

Observed vent hood with heavy debris accumulation and grease built-up./clean more frequently.