Local Empanada Restaurant Hit With 7 Priority Violations. One Of the Worst Inspections of the Year

A restaurant automatically is given a D grade with 3 Violations. One local eatery received 7.Photo byAni KolleshionUnsplash

When it comes to a restaurant’s food health and safety around greater Phoenix, there are very specific regulations every food-serving business must abide by. There is also a very specific grading system in place every owner knows about. While participating in the letter grading system is optional, the inspection and determining factors of cleanliness and safety, are not. In the Valley, a restaurant that receives three Priority Violations automatically receives a D-level inspection, no ifs, ands, or buts. However, one restaurant just received 7 Priority Violations, which not only makes it the worst-reviewed restaurant of the past 1,500, but potentially the worst-reviewed restaurant of the entire year. 

A Priority Violation is one that directly contributes to the increased risk of foodborne illness and injury. It leads to the growth of bacteria and cross-contamination. A secondary violation, known as a Priority Foundation Violation, is considered minor and doesn’t have anything to do with foodborne illness. Generally, it has something to do with building upkeep. 

On September 12, a food health and safety inspector stopped by OG’ The Original Empanada Shop at 21824 South Ellsworth Road in Queen Creek for its annual inspection. Of the nine previous inspections made at the restaurant, there were a combination of two Priority Violations. However, everything came to a head for the most recent inspection with the seven violations. Of the last 1,500 restaurants inspected in the Valley, no other restaurant received more than four. 

The first Priority Violation came when the inspector watched a cook rinsing dirty dishes and then immediately go to prepping food without washing his hands. The cook was instructed to always wash his hands whenever returning to kitchen prep. 

The second issue was identified when raw eggs were found stored above sauces and other ready-to-use foods. It is important to place all animal proteins at the bottom of all walk-in coolers in order to avoid potential cross-contamination from drips or spills. 

Continuing with the inspection, containers of beans were found sitting out for over two days at temperatures above 41 degrees. Anything above 41 and below 135 is ripe for bacterial growth. Properly cooling foods must go from above 135 to under 41 in no more than six hours. As the food had been sitting out for over 48 hours it was discarded. 

Other Priority Violations included food in the walk-in cooler exceeding the 41-degree max requirement (with foods such as chorizo testing upwards of 56 degrees), plus there were expired foods still being used.