Food for Thought Report 3.21 - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

City health inspectors performed 32 inspections this week. Out in the county they didn't find any top or low performers. Here in Lubbock they found one low performer that's got some "cold mold" going on, and there are two top performers, both featuring food with an eastern flair. Let's nibble on this week's edition of Food for Thought.

Our first top performer is off to a steamy start. Open just one month, Thai Pepper at 3702 20th St. receives a perfect score of no critical violations. "I used to work at a Thai restaurant about 7 years so I think I got enough experience to do my own so I decided to do my own," said owner Mam Srivarodom.

Thai Pepper features a full menu of Thai specialities, and they'll cook to please, making your dish extra spicy or not at all depending on your taste, but the owner says she wants her customers to expect three things every time they come in, a clean place, and good food at a fair price. "Clean, the first thing is clean, and good food and reasonable price I expect to do that so I try to do as best I can," said Mam.

Our next top performer also brings the east to West Texas, Shogun Japanese Steakhouse at 4520 50th has zero critical violations.

Our only low performer this week is Taqueria Jalisco at 2211 Avenue Q where inspectors found six critical violations.

• The inspector found a walk-in unit at 48.7 degrees, the correct temperature is 45 degrees or cooler.
• Unsound condition was also a violation, uncooked cabbage was found and several trays of food were found at off-temperatures for more than four hours, beans, pork, chicken, beef, and eggs were discarded.
• Several trays of food had no date mark, ready to eat foods must be date marked.
• A mechanical ware washer was not sanitizing properly.
• A walk-in thermometer was not accurate and a reach in unit did not have a thermometer, cooling units are required to have accurate thermometers.
• Mold was found in drink nozzles and in the ice maker, food contact surfaces must be kept clean.

NewsChannel 11 spoke with an employee of the restaurant who said the owner of Taqueria Jalisco should comment on the inspection, but the owner is out of town.