Food for Thought Report 4.10 - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

The sky is the limit for two stops at the top, and that means good news for frequent flyers. Pizza Hut and Burger King inside the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport land a perfect score.

You can eat fresh everyday at our next top performer. Subway at 5715 Slide road stacks up a flawless inspection.  

Our final top performer may have a familiar taste, but they have a new location. Queso's #2 at 7301 University opened about a month ago, and they're making room for their first top performing certificate.

"It feels great. We actually dedicate ourselves to follow every guideline, rule and regulation to make sure that we do everything the right way and follow procedure every time," Queso's general manager John Flores said.

Flores guarantees that Queso's serves up the best Mexican food you'll ever have, "We have the best quesadillas, the best taco salads, the best fajitas, the best enchiladas you'll have anywhere."

get more>> Web Enhanced 4/10/08 Food for Thought 4.10 Here is a complete list of the restaurants and their violations for the week ending on 4/10/08.

Now to our three repeat low performers.

Maharaja Indian Cuisine at 5130 80th Street had five critical violations.

• Cooked rice was thrown out after it was found at the wrong temperature.
• Another container of cooked rice was not at least 135 degrees.
• Various food items did not have an expiration date.
• A hand sink was blocked by pots and pans.
• Insect spay was near food.

Management says all violations have been corrected. The report shows all were corrected during the inspection.

Next we head to China Star where inspectors found six critical violations.

• Shredded cheese that was 52 degrees was thrown out.
• Baking soda was also discarded when a dirty spoon was found in the container. Grease droplets, that could drip back onto the grill, were on the vent hood.
• An employee's drink was above food contact surfaces.
• Instead of rotating the egg rolls, fresh ones were put on top of older egg rolls. Chicken did not have an expiration date.
• Toxic items were near food items.
• A meat cleaver was thrown out because the handle was cracked and wrapped in duct tape.

Management said, "At no time were our customers in harms way, and all critical violations have been corrected." The report show all but one were corrected while the inspector was there.

Hong Kong Buffet at 4845 50th Street had nine critical violations.

• Cooked chicken was cooling at room temperature.
• Crab legs, noodles and eggs were thrown out because they were above the safe cold temperature of 41 degrees.
• Inspectors note that there were improper hand washing procedures as well as the potential for cross contamination when an employee cut up raw chicken
• then handled cooked chicken without washing their hands.
• A box of raw chicken was leaking onto an employee's shirt. An employee's corn dog was in an area where wait-staff cannot have personal food.
• Several cans were sharply dented.
• Insect spray and glass cleaner were next to food contact surfaces.
• The restaurant has a certified food manager, but according to the report the inspector notes that after watching employees prepare and handle food, they are not being properly trained in food safety by their manager.
• Multiple utensils and kitchen items were dirty or heavily soiled.

Management was not available for comment. According to the report most of the violations were corrected at the time of the inspection.