The city of Abilene Environmental Health Division regularly monitors restaurants and food establishments for compliance with state food safety requirements.
Frequent inspections are essential in preventing the spread of foodborne illnesses through contamination and improper handling, storage and sanitation.
Scores for retail food establishments, food stores, mobile food units and school and daycare establishments inspected the week of June 17-23 are listed below.
Disclaimer: On any given day, an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in its most recent inspection. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions at the establishment. A few more recent, follow-up inspections may not be included here.
Perfect scores
Habitat for Learning , 3242 Beltway South
High to moderates scores
Encompass Health , 6401 Directors Parkway: 99
Home 2 Suites , 2109 Scottish Road: 99
Texas Steak Express , 5217 Highway 277 S.: 99
Smokehouse Abilene-DoubleTree by Hilton , 500 Cypress St.: 98
Wingstop , 1813 Texas Highway 351: 97
Wendy's , 4374 Southwest Drive: 97
Rockin Rollerz Craft Burger Co. , 1055 North Judge Ely Blvd.: 97
El Pulgarcito De America , 2502 S. Seventh St.: 97
Sharon's Barbeque & Catering , 849 E. Highway 80: 97
Chick-Fil-A , 401 Cypress St.: 96
AFC Sushi at United Supermarket , 3301 South 14th St.: 96
Popeye's , 4425 Ridgemont Drive: 96
Red Robin , 3549 Catclaw Drive: 95
Children of Light , 588 East Ambler Ave.: 95
Sonic , 3856 S. Clack St.: 94
Breakers Sports Bar , 1874 S. Clack St.: 92
Last week's inspections: Gnats, old meat, food debris, unfettered beards: Abilene's weekly restaurant inspections
Low scores and why
Lytle Land & Cattle Company , 1150 East S. 11th St.: 89
- Priority violation: Measured raw steak and raw poppers with internal temperature ranges between 44-45 degrees for an unknown period of time. Cooler window was not installed correctly overnight and product was discarded.
- Hand-wash sink was seen with ice in the basin. Hand-wash sinks are not to be used as a dump sink.
- Observed a spatula with chips and cracks on the rack with clean utensils.
- A soiled wiping cloth was stored on top of the ware wash machine and not properly stored in sanitizing solution between uses.
- Observed reduced-oxygen packaged fish being thawed in an incorrect manner. Packaging was opened to finish thawing.
- Pans were stacked, or "wet nested" prior to being air dried.
- A reach-in freezer had food debris scattered on the floor of the unit.
El Pulgarcito De America , 2501 Ambler Ave.: 88
- Priority violation: Observed a can opener not clean to sight and touch in utensil holder. Corrected on site and moved to three-compartment sink.
- No hot water was available at hand-wash sink in men's bathroom. Reinspection is scheduled for July 1 to check for repair. Not in compliance with providing adequate hand-washing facilities.
- Not in compliance with cold holding equipment including temperature measuring devices located for easy viewing.
- Observed a cleaned pot stored on the floor in the ware storage room.
Celso's Mexican Cuisine , 3509 North First St.: 74
- Priority violation: Observed raw hamburger with an internal temperature of 45 degrees for an unknown period of time. Employee discarded the product.
- Priority violation: Tortillas were wrapped in a cloth towel and placed in a plastic "thank you" bag risking contamination.
- Priority violation: Not in compliance with disposition of unsafe or damaged food products. A can with a heavy dent on the rim was set aside for the manager to see.
- Priority violation: Observed partially-filled plastic spray bottles in the kitchen near the ware wash area that were not marked to identify their contents.
- A Certified Food Manager was not present at the time of inspection.
- An open can of milk and a sliced avocado were not placed under refrigeration.
- Observed raw hamburger not properly marked with preparation date in a reach-in cooler.
- Hand soap was not available at the ware wash station hand sink.
- Two hand-wash sinks were used as dump sinks. There were visible signs of ice and dishes. Hand-wash sinks are not to be used for any other purpose.
- Observed wiping cloths left under the meat slicer and not properly stored in between uses.
- A case of tortilla chips was sitting on the floor in the kitchen. Food products must be kept off the ground.
- Pans were stacked or "wet nested," and not allowed to properly air dry. Education was provided to the ware wash attendant.
- Single-service containers on a shelf were not in packaging, covered or otherwise protected. Food contact surface of the items were exposed.
- Visible food debris spilled in a reach-in cooler. Not in compliance with keeping nonfood contact surfaces clean.
- Observed damaged ceiling tile and water leak from the roof. Repairs are underway, and the leak was contained so it did not contaminate food or food contact surfaces.
Inspected for compliance
Rib Crib , 1860 Butternut St.
Inspector Notes: Compliance inspection done on June 21. Establishment employee had inappropriately discarded liquid waste into a residential container. The waste was cleaned up by the establishment owner, and the employee was corrected on procedures. The owner had fats, oil and grease procedures reviewed and will touch base with her to review and update policy if necessary.
To report a food establishment that is not following safe food-handling practices, call Environmental Health at 325- 437-4590 to initiate a complaint. Be prepared to provide specific details about the name and address of the facility, the date and time the unsafe practice was observed, and the exact practice in question.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Meat at wrong temp, food debris, dirty opener: Abilene's weekly restaurant inspections
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