Debris in food, dirty dishes: Tri-Cities area food safety inspections

The Benton Franklin Health District gave nine failing grades for food safety inspections at restaurants and other establishments selling food in the Tri-Cities area from May 9-15.

The health district’s food safety team gave passing marks on 52 inspections, with 24 of those earning perfect scores.

In the district’s routine inspections, businesses or organizations that receive at least 35 points for the more serious red violations are required to have additional inspections and must meet a tougher standard on those.

To pass follow-up inspections, they must have fewer than 25 red points and fewer than 10 repeat red points for previous issues.

Scores of 85 or more red points result in establishments remaining on probation until they pass two follow-up inspections, the first one within 72 hours.

Red violations are those most likely to cause food-borne illnesses, such as not keeping hot food hot enough or cold food cold enough, inadequate handwashing, bare-hand contact with foods or refrigerating meat in a way that could contaminate other food.

Blue violations are low risk factors related to the cleanliness and physical condition of an establishment.

No notice is given before the inspections.

Businesses may have separate inspections of business lines with different health safety risks, such as grocery sales and a deli that prepares food, with one business line passing and another failing.

Information about passed and failed inspections includes only licensed establishments. The health district also responds to complaints of unlicensed pop-up food vendors in Benton and Franklin counties.

To see more inspection results or details of the past week’s inspections, go to inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/bfhd.

For questions or complaints about food safety in Benton or Franklin counties, email contactusfoodsafety@BFHD.WA.GOV.

Food customers may take a survey at bit.ly/FoodSafetyConsumerSurvey, and owners and employees of food establishments may take a survey at bit.ly/FoodSafetyIndustrySurvey.

Failed inspections

Berry’s Brewed, 619 N. Tweedt St., Kennewick, Routine May 9 (40 Red, 0 Blue) Notes: No certified food protection manager; improper hot holding temperatures (grilled onions at 101°F rather than at least 135°F); no date marked on high-risk food (sliced tomatoes discarded); raw eggs not stored away from ready-to-eat food; cold holding temperatures >45°F (raw meat patties at 60° after power outage and were discarded); no food thermometer provided.

Birrieria El Sazon, 3115 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick, Follow-up May 11 (45 Red, 0 Blue) Notes: Cold holding temperatures inadequate (raw chicken and sliced ham too warm); lack of conformance with approved procedures; food worker cards not 100%; food not in good condition (pan of food contained chunk of foam construction material that may have fallen from the ceiling – food was discarded); inadequate handwashing facilities (no paper towels).

Fruta Rayada El Rey, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick, Routine May 14 (45 Red, 5 Blue) Notes: No certified food protection manager; inadequate cold holding temperatures (sliced watermelon as warm as 53°F rather than 41°F or less); lack of conformance with approved procedures; food worker cards not 100%; adequate food thermometer not provided; inadequate handwashing facilities (one handwashing sink had hot water turned off because of a leak and workers were using a different sink).

Mrs. Dogo, 1920 W. Bonneville St., Pasco, Routine May 14 (65 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: No certified food protection manager; lack of conformance with approved procedures; hands not washed as required (pushcart handwash station was not on and prepared food was discarded); food not obtained from approved source (some food was prepared and stored in an unapproved kitchen); inadequate handwashing facilities (pushcart handwash station not connected to electricity).

Muchas Gracias Mexican Food, 894 Stevens Drive, Richland, Follow-up May 12 (30 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: Improper cooling procedures; improper preparation of raw shell eggs (30 raw eggs combined and held rather than eggs mixed together immediately before use).

Taco Of The Town, 610 W. Lewis St., Pasco, Follow-up May 14 (40 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: Improper cooling procedures; raw eggs not stored away from ready-to-eat foods; lack of conformance with approved procedures (food must be cooked and cooled in commissary kitchen rather than mobile unit).

Tacos 24 Hrs, 528 S. Ely St., Kennewick, Follow-up May 12 (35 Red, 5 Blue)

Notes: No date marked on thawed tamales; improper hot holding temperatures (cooked strips of adobada as cool as 125°F rather than at least 135°F; improper cold holding temperatures (cheesecake as warm as 50°F and cooked and cooled salsas, cut lettuce and cut cabbage as warm as 55°F rather than 41°F or colder).

Tacos Alebrijes Guelaguetza, 294 Williams Blvd., Richland, Routine May 15 (55 Red, 5 Blue) Notes: Inadequate equipment for temperature control (steam table not working); no certified food protection manager; food worker cards not available for review; improper room temperature storage (cooked beans, jalapeños, and asada meat on malfunctioning steam table as cool as 76°F rather than at least 135°F; lack of written procedures; inadequate handwashing facilities (handwashing sink blocked by dirty dishes).

Thai Garden, 101 N. Union St., Kennewick, Routine May 12 (50 Red, 0 Blue)

Notes: Improper cooling procedures; no certified food protection manager; food worker cards not 100%; dishes not being sanitized (all food contact dishes, glassware and containers must be sanitized by next day’s opening).

Passed inspections

AFC Sushi @ Fred Meyer, 2811 W. 10th Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 14 (0 Red, 0 Blue) (Hazard analysis of critical control points 0 Red, 0 Blue)

Arby’s, 1051 George Washington Way, Richland, Follow-up May 12 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Best Pizza Ever, 110 S. Fourth Ave., Pasco, Routine May 14 (10 Red, 0 Blue)

Blooming Coffee Co., 212 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 14 (30 Red, 0 Blue)

Brookdale Canyon Lakes, 2802 W. 35th Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 12 (5 Red, 0 Blue)

Brunch, Bliss & Bubbles, 1360 N. Louisiana St., Kennewick, Routine May 11 (25 Red, 0 Blue)

Chief Joseph Middle School, 504 Wilson St., Richland, Routine May 13 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

The Corndog Company Eastern WA (Event based), 215 N. 14th Ave., Othello, Routine May 9 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Del Taco, 155 Wellsian Way, Richland, Routine May 12 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Denny’s, 1301 George Washington Way, Richland, Routine May 12 (25 Red, 0 Blue)

Dutch Bros, 3918 Clearwater Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 12 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Dutch Bros, 430 Wellsian Way, Richland, Routine May 12 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Fred Meyer, 2811 W. 10th Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 14 (Bakery 0 Red, 0 Blue) (Deli 10 Red, 0 Blue) (Meat 0 Red, 0 Blue)

Fruta Rayada El Rey (Commissary), 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick, Routine May 14 (10 Red, 0 Blue)

Golden Palace, 1185 George Washington Way, Richland, Routine May 12 (0 Red, 5 Blue)

Golden Roll Sushi, 1321 Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick, Routine May 14 (0 Red, 0 Blue) (Hazard analysis of critical control points 0 Red, 0 Blue)

Jason Lee Elementary School, 1750 McMurray Ave., Richland, Routine May 13 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Lazeez Mediterranean, 1257 Guyer Ave., Richland, Follow-up May 12 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Lep-re-kon Harvest Foods, 1215 Horne Road, Benton City, Routine May 14 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Liberty Christian School, 2200 Williams Blvd., Richland, Routine May 13 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Little Randy’s Diner, 104 W. First Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 14 (10 Red, 0 Blue)

Los Volcanes Panaderia y Lonches, 502 Ninth Ave., Benton City, Routine May 14 (15 Red, 0 Blue)

Maeve’s Italian Bistro, 615 Sixth St., Prosser, Routine May 15 (10 Red, 10 Blue)

Meals On Wheels, 510 14th St., Benton City, Routine May 14 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Meals On Wheels (Caterer), 1824 Fowler St., Richland, Routine May 12 (10 Red, 0 Blue)

Mi Linda Sierra, 5610 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 12 (15 Red, 0 Blue)

Nanis, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick, Routine May 14 (0 Red, 2 Blue)

Pho Lao Laan Xang, 5610 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 12 (0 Red, 8 Blue)

Prosser Food Mart, 1303 Wine Country Road, Prosser, Routine May 15 (20 Red, 0 Blue)

Red Lion Inn & Suites, 5616 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 12 (25 Red, 0 Blue)

Shade Cafe, 1295 Fowler St., Richland, Routine May 12 (30 Red, 0 Blue)

Shang Hai Restaurant, 3013 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 11 (10 Red, 5 Blue)

Sister To Sister, 10 Merlot Drive, Prosser, Routine May 15 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Snowfruit, 2811 W. 10th Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 15 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Some Bagels, 1317 George Washington Way, Richland, Routine May 13 (10 Red, 0 Blue)

Subway, 104 W. Washington St., Kennewick, Follow-up May 14 (5 Red, 0 Blue)

Subway, 515 Ninth St., Benton City, Routine May 14 (5 Red, 5 Blue)

Super 8 Motel, 626 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick, Routine May 13 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Sushi Mori, 1350 N. Louisiana St., Kennewick, Routine May 11 (25 Red, 3 Blue)

Tapteal Elementary School, 705 N. 62nd Ave., West Richland, Routine May 11 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

TexMex Mexican Restaurant, 1002 Grace Ave., Benton City, Routine May 14 (5 Red, 0 Blue)

Thai Garden, 101 N. Union St., Kennewick, Follow-up May 12 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Tina’s Tasty Treats, 1325 George Washington Way, Richland, Routine May 13 (10 Red, 5 Blue)

Tortilleria La Suavecita, 3902 W. Clearwater Ave., Kennewick, Routine May 12 (5 Red, 15 Blue)

Waffle Stix Bar, 1321 N. Columbia Center Blvd., Kennewick, Routine May 14 (15 Red, 0 Blue)

White Bluffs Elementary School, 1250 Kensington Way, Richland, Routine May 11 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

WinCo Foods (Deli), 101 Columbia Point Drive, Richland, Follow-up May 12 (0 Red, 0 Blue)

Yellow Cafe, 270 Williams Blvd., Richland, Routine May 12 (30 Red, 0 Blue)