Food for Thought Report 2.2 - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

You can now enjoy a healthy lunch and work toward the New Year's resolution of getting in shape all in the same location. That's because the restaurant is inside the health club. NewsChannel 11's Kealey McIntire has this week's Food For Thought Top and Low Performers.

Food for Thought 2.2 Here is a complete list of the restaurants and their violations for the week ending on 2/2/06.

You may know the new Bodyworks Family Sport Center on 82nd Street opened about two weeks ago. However, you may not know that Noble Roman's/Tuscano's also opened in that exact same location, that's because the restaurant is inside the health club. And to help them get started with decorating they get a NewsChannel 11 Food for Thought top performer plaque to hang on the wall.

Who would've thought you could jog on the treadmill, walk to a pizza place and not even set foot outside the same location. It's possible at the new Bodyworks/Noble Roman's/Tuscano's on 82nd Street.

Restaurant managers Andrea White and Krista Burns claim their pizza isn't your normal dough and sauce. "It's better quality," said White. "It just tastes better really. I've heard a lot of people say that."

Burns said their pizza recipe is healthier than most, which is fitting as the restaurant is in a health club; a concept Bodyworks owners came up with so health conscious adults can eat smart after a workout while the kids can indulge.

The restaurant also specializes in healthier sandwiches. Noble Roman's/Tuscano's opened only ten days ago and already they've received a perfect score from the health department. Burns says, "That's our goal. We want to provide a high quality product for the people that come in and that's what we plan on doing."

Just because the restaurant is located inside the gym you don't have to be a member to enjoy the menu items.

Two Lubbock schools are also top performers starting with Dunbar Junior High, they received zero violations.

You can send your child to lunch with confidence at Iles Elementary, they also received a perfect score from the health department.

Between three Lubbock restaurants the health department found 21 violations. One of the restaurants is a popular downtown hangout.

We start in the heart of downtown in the Depot Entertainment District where Hub City Brewery is one of this week's low performers with nine violations.

• Raw chicken, raw steak and spinach dip were all held above 45 degrees. Cold foods must be stored between 41 and 45 degrees.
• French fries were on the basket above the frier at 125 degrees. Warm foods must be at 140.
• A hand washing sink was used to fill a bucket.
• The health department found a soiled cutting board.
• Various foods were not properly date marked.
• The reach in cooler didn't have a thermometer.
• Clean cooking utensils were being stored in and on soiled containers.

The violations were corrected on site and management tells NewsChannel 11, "We have been working to improve the problems causing these violations."

Dairy Queen at 8105 Indiana received luke warm reviews with six violations.

• Shredded and sliced cheeses were found at 50 and 51 degrees they must be stored at 45.
• Chicken strips and steak fingers were also held below the required temperature of 135 degrees.
• The health department found employees not washing their hands frequently enough between jobs, some were not washing their hands then putting on gloves or using hand sanitizer before handling ready to eat foods.
• An open drink was found on the prep line.
• Food contact surfaces were soiled.

Dairy Queen management tells NewsChannel 11 everything was corrected by the next day.

George's at 2708 50th Street rounds out the low performers with six violations.

• Eggs and ham were found being stored above 45 degrees, the required minimum temperature for cold foods.
• Rice was found at 122 degrees, it should be 140 degrees.
• The health department says employees were not practicing good hygiene, some weren't washing their hands frequently enough between jobs.
• An open drink was being stored with food, various foods weren't date marked.
• A hand sink was blocked.

Management says everything has been corrected and they have reviewed their policies with employees to ensure a better score next time.