Tucson Steakhouse Receives Head-Scratching "Satisfactory"Grade Despite 9 Violations

There were handwashing problems at a local restaurant.Photo byTim MossholderonUnsplash

The restaurant health inspection world is a strange one. Especially in Tucson. While things are generally straightforward up north in greater Phoenix, where there are very specific guidelines as to how a restaurant receives a grade (or doesn’t), in Tucson, things are more wishy-washy. As if it’s up to the inspector’s discretion to decide. Some restaurants here receive 3 violations with a “Needs Improvement” tag slapped on it. And then there are other restaurants such as a prominent local steakhouse, that received 9 violations but was given a “Satisfactory” grade. Hard to say why a restaurant with one-third of the violations received a worse rating, but regardless, the “Satisfactory” steakhouse needs improvement.

On October 7, a restaurant inspector stopped by Sullivan’s Steakhouse at 1785 East River Road. It received four 4 Core violations and 5 Priority/Priority Foundation (the 3-violation restaurant were all Core). During the inspection, it was found the facility’s handwashing sink did not have soap stocked. The staff said bartenders would go to the kitchen to wash their hands, though one might question the likelihood of such an individual returning to the kitchen every time they needed to wash.

The second issue came with the kitchen dish washer. The unit must have a chlorine level between 50 and 200 PPM, and it must have water temperatures of at least 160 degrees. The unit at the restaurant though could not elevate above 149 degrees, which is not hot enough to remove all bacteria (even with the chlorine). The Person In Charge (PIC) was told repairs to either the unit or the water heater were necessary.

There were also major Priority issues found, which can directly contribute to the increased chance of foodborne illness or injury (the 3-violation restaurant had zero Priority violations, despite receiving a worse review grade). For starters, at Sullivan’s Steakhouse, hot-holding temperature food dipped significantly under 135 degrees. Anything under 135 is ripe for bacterial growth (anything above 41 and under 135 is considered the “Danger Zone” for bacteria growth). Despite this, mashed potatoes were tested at 109 degrees, cream butter at 86, and roasted garlic at 51. On the flip side, butter inside the walk-in cooler had a temperature of 70 degrees.

There was a Core, property issue with the restaurant in that the back door of the facility had a gap larger than a quarter inch, which does not prevent insects and rodents from entering the building. The PIC was informed to repair the door.