Food for Thought Report 4.18 - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

We've got three times the good news and the low performer list is a full helping all by itself tonight. Let's start things off with our Top Performing list.

The next time you're hungry, hit the road. Lonestar Roadhouse Sports Grill is located at 4817 Idalou Highway, they're a Food for Thought Top Performer this week with zero critical violations. "I grew up in Lubbock on this property, went to Tech and have been in the Dallas Ft. Worth area for about the past 18 years doing party planning, catering, events," says Owner Virginia Mower.

Virginia and her husband Cliff have brought the party back home. They still live in the Dallas area, but come into town every two weeks to check in and man the fort in person, and they say a dedicated staff is key to keeping this rugged roadhouse running like a dream. "They treat it as if it's their own place and so they are very dedicated to bringing that consistency of quality and growing our business," said Mower.

Also on the top performer list this week, Hot Rod's Raceway at 4210 Boston. They receive zero critical violations.

It's also the same story over at Joann's Family Restaurant at 1207 FM 1585. They are also a NewsChannel 11 Food for Thought Top Performer with zero critical violations.

Now on to this week's Low Performers, beginning with 7-11 at 2608 Avenue Q. Inspectors found four critical violations. Violations including:

• Hot dogs and sausage being held at 136 degrees. Hot foods must be kept at 140 degrees or warmer, the hot dogs were discarded.
• A hand sink was being used as a dump sink. Hand sinks should be used for no other purpose than hand washing.
• Equipment was found to be heating food inadequately, and the machine was in need of repair.
• A thermometer in a walk-in was inaccurate.

The manager at 7-11 told us all violations have been corrected.

Furr's at 2817 South Loop 289 is our next low performer with four critical violations.

• Inspectors found improper and inadequate hand washing. Food handlers did not wash their hands before putting on gloves. Employees did not wash their hands in a hand sink with soap and towels.
• The wait staff was not washing their hands after cleaning off tables and re-serving customers.
• Inspectors also found improper date marking. Some ready to eat food items were found to be potentially hazardous because they were not marked with an expiration date.
• A hand sink in the kitchen had no towels.

Other violations included improper thawing of chicken, heavily worn seals on a cooling unit, improper storage of wiping cloths and improper storage of a water dispenser.

The manager at Furr's told us they have recently experienced employee turnover and their new employees need to be re-trained. The manager also said their customers are their number one priority and all violations have been corrected.

Ted's Burgers at 1924 Avenue a continues our list of low performers with four critical violations. Violations including:

• A cooler with temperatures ranging from 48.8 to 49.9 degrees, cold food should be held at 41 to 45 degrees.
• Ready to eat foods were found with no date mark.
• There were no towels in the rest room.
• Mold was found in the drink nozzles.

The manager at Ted's said all violations have been corrected.

Next on the list, Jumbo Joe's at 7905 University with four critical violations.

• Hot foods found at potentially hazardous temperatures.
• There was cross contamination potential due to food storage arrangement. In the cook line refrigerator there was raw chicken stored over vegetables and a product was uncovered. In a walk in eggs were stored over other products. In a reach in freezer steak fingers were found in a container with peppers.
• Inspectors also found improper date marking.
• Thermometers were not provided in all cooling units, some thermometers that were there were inaccurate.

Other violations included soiled coolers and improper storage of ice scoops.

The manager of Jumbo Joe's says all violations have been corrected.

Finally Home Plate Diner at 7615 University had five critical violations.

• Hamburger patties being held at 50 degrees, cold foods must be held between 41 and 45 degrees. Potatoes were found at 120 degrees, hot food must be held at 140 degrees or warmer.
• Inspectors found improper and inadequate hand washing.
• Hand washing was not occurring with soap and not at a hand sink, and a cloth towel was being used for multiple purposes, including employees using it to dry their hands.
• There was eating in the kitchen and products were stored on the food prep line.
• There was improper storage of drinking containers. Thermometers were inaccurate.

Other violations included heavily soiled and broken seals on cooling units, missing tiles in the kitchen and cooling units heavily soiled on the inside.

The Director of Operations at Home Plate Diner says all violations were corrected.