Food for Thought Report 4.4 - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

If you've got an appetite for a sweet breakfast treat or piping hot pizza, then you're in luck. Let's take a bite out of this week's edition of Food for Thought.

If doughnuts are the way you like to start your day, why not get some from a Top Performer? Jack N Jill Donuts at 8001 Quaker earns a perfect score this week with zero critical violations.

Pappa John's at 3300 82nd Street is also a Top Performer this week with no critical violations.

Now on to the Low Performers starting with Pinkie's at 4906 East Highway 84 with four critical violations. Violations including:

• Beef and macaroni and cheese being held at 120 degrees. Hot foods must be kept at 140 degrees or hotter.
• Ready to eat foods were found improperly dated.
• A reach in cooling unit did not have a thermometer.
• Soda nozzles were found soiled.

Pinkie's management could not be reached for comment, but the report states all violations were corrected on site.

Burrito Sabroso at 1212 MLK Boulevard is where five critical violations were found.

• An employee went from handling trash to cooking without washing his hands.
• An employee was found smoking in the kitchen.
• There was an open bag of rice found stored on a soiled floor.
• There was a hole in the back door and in the back wall and a dead roach was found in the back room.
• The floors and vent hood were found to be heavily soiled and the lights under the vent hood were not shielded.

The owner of Burrito Sabroso said the person who handled trash before cooking without washing his hands was not a restaurant employee, but someone hired to take out the trash, and then compensated with a meal. The food he was preparing was for himself, not for customers. The owner said the open bag of rice on the floor was an oversight and as for the roaches, he says they exterminate regularly.

Arby's at 4020 82nd street is our next Low Performer. Four violations were found there.

• Chicken found at 64 degrees, cold foods should be held at between 41 and 45 degrees.
• Inspectors also found improper date marking, some containers had no date mark and others did not note AM or PM on their times.
• There was no soap at a kitchen hand sink.
• Thermometers in cooling units were not accurate.

Other violations included improper storage of an ice scoop, exposed wood on a counter, seals on cooling units not maintained and a soiled lid on an ice machine. The manager at Arby's said all violations have been corrected.

Whataburger at 7201 Quaker had five critical violations.

• Cheese found at 52 degrees, cold food should be held at between 41 and 45 degrees.
• There was improper and inadequate hand washing and use of hand sanitizer.
• Inspectors found cross contamination of food products: broken and whole shelled eggs were stored together and hamburger patties were stored over eggs and sausage.
• Soap was not found at a hand washing sink.
• Toxic items were found stored on a counter with condiments and a drink station.

Other violations included extreme build up inside a warmer, inadequate lighting in a freezer, a heavily soiled lid and exterior on an ice machine, exposed wood on a counter, a heavily soiled cooler and employees smoking in the back room.

The manager at Whataburger told us an employee had been cracking eggs and accidentally left a shell behind. He also said a spray bottle of cleaner was only sitting near the condiments and drink station momentarily. The manager said they appreciate the inspectors and all they do to keep Whataburger doing what they need to do for the public, and all violations have been corrected.

Santa Fe at 401 Avenue Q is our next low performer with five critical violations.

• The inspector watched as employees switched job duties over a 30 minute period without ever washing their hands.
• Employees were drinking from uncovered drinks in the food prep area and food residue was found in a hand sink.
• Butter pats in a walk in were covered with honey butter from an adjacent container lid.
• The vent hood was dripping onto the range and grill.
• Soiled skillets were found ready for use on the range.

Other violations included heavily soiled floors in the kitchen and back room area. The manager of Santa Fe said all violations have been corrected.

Finally Texas Burrito at 2219 50th is a low performer this week with five critical violations. Violations including:

• Eggs found at 65 degrees and cheese found at 68 degrees. Cold foods must be between 41 and 45 degrees.
• Employees were found drinking from coffee cups that were then left on the food prep area.
• Inspectors found improper date marking.
• Glass cleaner was stored on a table with food products and food service equipment.
• Thermometers were not accurate and not located in all cooling units.

Other violations included beans found stored on the floor, food being improperly thawed, an unapproved dispensing container in the hot sauce and a dead roach on the floor. The manager at Texas Burrito says all violations have been corrected.