Restaurant inspections for Dec. 10: How Chicken Express, Macaroni Joes, others scored

The Food Establishment Inspection Report is a weekly report that appears Sundays. Information is taken from reports provided by the Environmental Health Department, and individual reports can be viewed at its web site, http://amarillo.gov/departments/community-services/environmental-health/foodinspections. A numerical grading system is now being used, with a score of 100 points being equivalent to zero demerits.

• 100 points – No major violation at the time of inspection

• 85 points – Considered an average score

• 70 points or below – Requires re-inspection within 24 hours

• COS – Corrected on site during inspection

These points correspond to the following letter grades:

• A – 90 to 100

• B – 80 to 89

• C – 70 to 79

• F – 69 and below

The following establishments had a score of A/100 during a routine inspection:

Amarillo Collegiate Academy, 6000 S. Georgia St.

Ascension Academy, 9301 Ascension Parkway.

Bushland High School, 1201 S. FM 2381, Bushland.

Bushland ISD Junior High, 20101 25th St., Bushland.

Forest Hills Elementary, 3515 E. Amarillo Blvd.

Landergin Elementary, 3209 S. Taylor St.

Lorenzo De Zavala Middle School, 2801 N. Coulter St.

Rolling Hills Elementary, 2800 W. Cherry Ave.

The 806-FIX, 2628 E. Amarillo Blvd.

United Supermarket #533 Gas, 3400 River Road.

Western Plateau Elementary, 4927 Shawnee Trail.

The following establishments had a score of A/100 during a follow-up inspection:

Bowie 6th Grade Campus, 2901 Tee Anchor Blvd.

CISD-Culinary Arts, 1401 23rd St., Canyon.

Dominos, 5985 S. Georgia St.

El Manantial, 3823 E. Amarillo Blvd.

Highland Park School, 3801 N. FM 1912.

Kathys Kitchen, 4517 St. Highway 136.

Midway Alternative High School, 1401 23rd St., Canyon.

Mr. Clamaron, 1104 E. Amarillo Blvd.

Papi Qs Tacos, 7701 W. I-40.

Pizza Hut, 5611 Gem Lake Road, Suite 100.

Toot ‘N Totum #94, 2151 S.E. 34th Ave.

United Supermarket #522, 4701 S. Washington St.

Volcano Korean BBQ, 8518 W. I-40.

These establishments received the following scores for being out of compliance as stated:

(A/98) Austin Middle School, 1808 Wimberly Road. Men’s restroom door in kitchen propped open with mop bucket (repeat violation). COS. Ceiling tiles missing or beginning to fall off must be replaced. Correct by 08/12/2024.

(A/97) Bushland ISD Elementary, 1001 S. Blessen Road. Dishwasher solution at improper temperature. Correct by 12/14. Easily cleanable ceiling must be installed above mop sink. Correct by 08/31/2024.

(A/97) Bushland ISD Intermediate, 2400 Wells St., Bushland. Box of moldy green peppers in walk-in cooler. COS.

(B/81) Chicken Express, 7301 W. I-40. Walk-in meat cooler not holding at proper temperature; multiple employees without food handler/manager certifications; employees with lack of knowledge of safe food handling practices; employee did not wash hands when moving from working with raw food to cooked food. COS. Buckets of food not date marked. Correct by 12/10. Build-up on soda machine nozzles; handle of scoop stored incorrectly; heavy dirt/dust build-up and accumulation on and around cooler fans; heavy dust build-up on vents; lights out across kitchen and dining room areas; drywall exposed in dry storage area (repeat violation); water heater attached to raw wood with no type of seal (repeat violation); moisture under floor mats of walk-in cooler (repeat violation); permit and Certified Food Manager certification not posted for public view. Correct by 02/28/2024.

(A/94) Continental, 1300 S. Jackson St. Chemical spray bottle stored above dishes sink and next to tea products. COS. Employee wearing arm brace on site (arm brace cannot be properly washed and can harbor bacteria, therefore cannot be used while in kitchen); condensate dripping onto food products in both walk-in freezers; dust on ceilings and fans in walk-in coolers; food debris on door handles. Correct by 03/01/2024.

(A/97) Executive Inn & Suites, 2100 S. Coulter St. Popcorn ceilings and dry wall exposed in mop sink area (repeat violation); bathroom door does not completely close; residential fridge used for consumer items must be replaced with commercial unit. Correct by 02/28/2024.

(A/98) Garrison Food Mart #12, 7301 W. I-40. Residential hood system above pizza oven must be replaced with commercial vent hood. Correct by 01/02/2024. Stand-up residential freezer used for consumer items must be replaced with commercial unit. Correct by 02/28/2024.

(A/98) Hamlet Elementary, 705 Sycamore St. Broken reach-in cooler still in kitchen (repeat violation). Correct by 01/08/2024. Absorbent ceiling tiles in kitchen must be replaced with smooth, durable, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable tiles. Correct by 02/28/2024.

(A/97) Holiday Inn Express, 2806 Wolflin Ave. No sanitizer test strips. Correct by 12/08. Floor tiles under three-compartment sink loose and coming off the ground; large hole in wall behind door for kitchen covered by cardboard. Correct by 05/27/2024.

(A/98) Lamar Elementary, 3800 S. Lipscomb St. Tubing from ice machine draining into hand sink. COS.

(A/99) LuLus Mexican Food, 3414 S. Georgia St. Household refrigerator must be replaced with a commercial unit or a household chest freezer. Correct by 06/04/2024.

(B/87) Macaroni Joes, 1619 S. Kentucky St., D-1500. Packaged raw chicken stored above ready-to-eat in reach-in cooler in front of grill; chlorine sanitizing solution at improper concentration; food debris on knives behind bar; ROP (reduced oxygen packaged) fish thawing in sealed bag. COS. A three-compartment sink is needed. Correct by 01/05/2024. Employees preparing food without proper hair restraints; dust build-up on top of equipment and on monitor on prep line; floor drains dirty and need to be kept clean; vinyl coated wall above hand sink in wine room coming off wall and needs to be repaired; door to restroom near front door needs to be tight fitting and self-closing. Correct by 03/04/2024.

(A/99) Mesa Verde Elementary, 4001 Beaver Drive. Ceiling tiles in kitchen and bathroom must be nonabsorbent; missing tile in bathroom must be replaced (repeat violation). Correct by 01/03/2024.

(A/99) Papi’s Tacos, 1309 E. Amarillo Blvd. A written agreement needs to be obtained from a commercial location to be able to dump waste water into a grease trap. Correct by 03/03/2024.

(A/99) Paramount Terrace Elementary, 3906 Cougar Drive. Dust on top of equipment. Correct by 02/28/2024.

(A/97) Park Hills Elementary, 119 N.E. 15th Ave. Dust on ceilings/walls and on vent above walk-in freezer; light bulb missing from reach-in cooler; light not working in another reach-in cooler; wood in chemical room near mop sink must be sealed. Correct by 02/04/2024.

(A/99) Pleasant Valley Elementary, 4413 River Road. No shield on light bulb in large freezer. Correct by 02/04/2024.

(A/99) Plum Creek Place, 6800 Plum Creek Drive. Dust on fans in reach-in cooler; old food debris in microwave. Correct by 02/28/2024.

(A/96) River Road High School, 101 W. Mobley St. Sausage links in reach-in cooler at improper temperature. COS. Mouse droppings on can rack; mold inside top of ice machine. Correct by 03/04/2024.

(A/99) River Road Middle School, 9500 N. UH 287. Knives, forks and spoons not pre-wrapped must be presented so that only handles are touched by employees and consumers if consumer self-service is provided. Correct by 03/04/2024.

(A/99) St Marys, 1200 S. Washington St. Lights must be shielded in dry stock area. Correct by 03/04/2024.

(A/95) Sonic Drive In, 2707 S. Georgia St. Employee food, drinks and phone on table while food being portioned/prepared. COS. Hand sink in beverage area leaking onto floor. Correct by 12/18. Grease build-up on several surfaces of equipment; food debris and dust inside and on top of coolers and beverage dispensers; dust on fan guards in walk-in cooler; broken floor tiles under soft serve machine; coving missing near mop sink; several areas in establishment need to be cleaned. Correct by 03/03/2024.

(A/99) Tacos Nayarit, 5215 S. Travis St. Several surfaces in need of cleaning, including floor and shelves. Correct by 03/04/2024.

(B/89) Taqueria El Tapatio, 5630 W. Amarillo Blvd. Grocery bags used for food storage in kitchen; tortillas stored in ice chest with hand towel lining bottom of container. COS. Soup cooling on counter; frozen food without dates. Correct by 12/11. Employee items must be stored in a designated area; multiple items without lids or other form of covering; clean dishes stacked wet; many surfaces, such as ceilings and walls, dirty with dust and food debris. Correct by 04/05/2024.

(A/91) Taste of Thai, 1900 S.E. 34th Ave., Suite 1100. Small household refrigerator storing cooked TCS (time/temperature control for safety) foods at improper temperature; wet cloths must be stored in sanitizer solution between uses; ice scoop stored in container pooling water (repeat violation). COS. Items in coolers and on storage racks without lids (repeat violation); debris on racks storing clean wares; ceiling vents above food prep stations and above dishwashing area beginning to rust and accumulating dust/debris; damaged ceiling tiles near walk-in cooler; gap in corner wall of mop sink must be sealed; unfinished wood in kitchen and under dishwasher must be sealed; two household refrigerators must be replaced with commercial units. Correct by 02/28/2024.

(A/96) United Supermarket #532, 201 N. 23rd St., Canyon. Fried chicken in hot hold unit at improper temperature. COS. Dust build-up on fans in walk-in cooler and freezer. Correct by 02/28/2024.

(A/94) United Supermarket #533, 3400 River Road. Multiple dented cans on shelf for sale. Correct by 12/08. Build-up on soda nozzles in deli; dishes stacked wet in deli; build-up on blower in produce walkin cooler. Correct by 03/04/2024.

(A/99) Whittier Elementary, 2004 N. Marrs St. Dishes stacked wet (repeat violation). Correct by 02/28/2024.

(B/89) Youngbloods Café & Catering Co., 620 S.W. 16th Ave. Food sitting out at room temperature; no quaternary sanitizer in three-compartment sink; slime on outside and mold growth internally of detergent and sanitizer hoses; tubing breaking off at ends. Correct by 12/11. Weather stripping needed at bottom of back door; employee items must be stored in a designated area (repeat violation); many food items without lids; sliced potatoes, in use, in bucket stored on the floor; dishes and utensils stacked wet; dust and old food debris on walls, ceilings, vents, piping in walk-in cooler and fans in reach-in cooler (repeat violation); light bulb not working in reach-in cooler by salad area. Correct by 03/05/2024.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo Food Establishment Inspection Report for Dec. 10, 2023