Inspection Report

Business Name
El Pacifico Restaurante
Business Address
3311 N 16TH ST PHOENIX AZ 85016
Permit Number
FD-14299
Permit Type
Food Establishment - Eating & Drinking
Inspection Purpose
Food Routine Inspection
Inspection Date
10/30/2024
Grade
Not Participating
Priority Violation
6
Inspection Status
Re-inspection required

Violations

Violation #: 1

Description: Person in Charge Present, Demonstrates Knowledge, and Performs Duties

Comments:

2-103.11 (A-N) and (P) - Priority Foundation: Person-In-Charge-Duties; Performs Assigned Duties Addl Notes: Observed repeat priority violations. Two employees observed onsite. PIC was unable to provide food handler cards for any employees onsite or any other employees. It is the duty of the PIC to ensure all employees are properly trained and have food handler certificates. All staff must obtain food handler training and certificates maintained onsite. Provide certificates of training prior to re-inspection. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection on 11/5/2024.

2-102.11(A-B) and (C)(1), (4)-(16) - Priority Foundation: Demonstration; Demonstration of Knowledge Addl Notes: Observed multiple priority violations during inspection. PIC was not a certified food protection manager (CFPM) and no CFPM was available onsite. PIC was unable to answer food safety questions relating to shellstock, approved source, cold holding, and cross contamination. All priority violations were corrected at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 2

Repeat Violation

Description: Certified Food Protection Manager

Comments:

2-102.12(A) - Core: Certified Food Protection Manager. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these resources on our website. https://www.maricopa.gov/5114/Food-Restaurants Addl Notes: Observed no certified food protection manager onsite and establishment open/operating preparing open TCS foods. A Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) is required to be on the premises during all hours of operation. Corrective Action: Correct prior to next routine inspection. Repeat violation. This is the 2nd consecutive violation.

Violation #: 8

Description: Hands Clean and Properly Washed

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-2-301.14 - Priority: When to Wash. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4573/AMC-Toolbox: Handwashing.

Addl Notes: Observed employee enter kitchen from outside building and begin handling clean dishes on main cook line without washing hands. Discussed the importance of proper hand washing and when hand washing is required with the person-in-charge (PIC). Hands must be washed at any time contamination occurs and when changing tasks. Employee properly washed hands at handwash sink at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 10

Description: Adequate Handwashing Sinks, Properly Supplied and Accessible

Comments:

5-204.11 - Priority Foundation: Handwashing Sinks - Location and Placement. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4573/AMC-Toolbox: Handwashing. Addl Notes: Observed hand washing violation during inspection (see violation #8). Observed no hand wash sink in main kitchen area. Establishment only has 1 hand wash sink in entire food prep area by 3-compartment sink. Main cook line where hand washing violation was observed is more than 25 feet from hand wash sink and hand wash sink is not visible from main cook line area. Must provide hand wash sink on main cook line or in main prep area prior to re-inspection. Discussed installation locations with PIC where floor sinks and plumbing are currently available. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection on 11/5/2024.

Violation #: 11

Description: Food Obtained from Approved Source

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-201.11 (A-B) - Priority: Compliance with Food Law; Approved Source. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4619/AMC-Toolbox---Approved-Source.

Addl Notes: Observed blood clams, white clams, and stingray in freezer in hallway by prep sink and deep freezer in hallway by bathrooms. Blood clams and white clams had no shellstock tags. PIC could not provide invoices for any clam products or for stingray at time of inspection. Shellstock without tags was voluntarily discarded by PIC (see violation #14). Stingray in deep freezer in hallway was placed under a hold embargo at time of inspection. Must provide invoices for product prior to re-inspection. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection on 11/5/2024.

Violation #: 14

Repeat Violation

Description: Required Records Available: Shellstock Tags, Parasite Destruction

Comments:

3-203.12 - Priority Foundation: Shellstock, Maintaining Identification. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4619/AMC-Toolbox---Approved-Source. Addl Notes: Observed no shellstock tags present for shucked oysters in walk-in cooler, for blood clams in freezer by prep sink, for blood clams and white clams in deep freezer by bathrooms. All shellstock without tags was voluntarily discarded by PIC. Establishment has clams listed on menu but has no shellstock records for any clam products. Observed shellstock tags for past oysters missing dates for last sold on top of a storage container and shellstock tags out of chronological order inside plastic tub. Must implement method for shellstock tags and sort all tags in chronological order prior to re-inspection. Shellstock tags must be kept with shellstock until sold, dated with final sale date, and maintained in chronological order for 90 days onsite. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection on 11/5/2024. Repeat violation. This is the 2nd consecutive violation.

Violation #: 15

Repeat Violation

Description: Food Separated and Protected

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-302.11 (A1-2) - Priority: Packaged and Unpackaged Food-Separation, Packaging, and Segregation; Protection from Cross Contamination. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4621/AMC-Toolbox---Cross-Contamination.

Addl Notes: Observed raw shell eggs stored above cilantro in prep table on cook line. All raw animal proteins must be stored below ready-to-eat (RTE) foods and stored according to cooking temperature at all times to prevent cross contamination. PIC properly stored all raw animal proteins according to the final cooking temperature based on the cooking parameters in § 3-401.11 of the Food Code. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection. Repeat violation. This is the 2nd consecutive violation.

Violation #: 16

Description: Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned and Sanitized

Comments:

4-601.11(A) - Priority Foundation: Equipment, Food-Contact Surfaces, Nonfood-Contact Surfaces, and Utensils. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4574/AMC-Toolbox---Food-Contact-Surfaces. Addl Notes: Observed oyster shucker machine, oyster hand blade shucker, can opener, fish scale remover, and bus tubs used for storing oysters stored clean with dried on with visible food debris. Bus tubs and fish scale remover were condemned (see violation #47). All other food-contact surfaces were properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized at time of inspection. All food-contact surfaces must be cleaned to sight and touch. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

PRIORITY VIOLATION-4-703.11 - Priority: Hot Water and Chemical-Methods; Sanitizing Food Contact Surfaces. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4574/AMC-Toolbox---Food-Contact-Surfaces.

Addl Notes: Observed employee clean cutting board by rinsing with water, rinsing briefly with pure bleach from squirt bottle, and then rinsing with water via sprayer at 3-compartment sink. Discussed cleaning procedures and proper washing, rinsing, and sanitizing producers with PIC. Chlorine (bleach) requires a minimum contact time of 10 seconds at concentrations between 50-100 ppm. PIC properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized cutting board at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 28

Description: Toxic Substances Properly Identified, Stored, and Used; Held for Retail Sale, Properly Stored

Comments:

7-102.11 - Priority Foundation: Common Name-Working Containers Addl Notes: Observed working containers of bleach and degreaser (as identified by PIC) without any labeling. All working containers of chemicals must be labeled with common name of chemical. PIC labeled containers with common name of chemical at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

PRIORITY VIOLATION-7-204.11 - Priority: Sanitizers, Criteria-Chemicals

Addl Notes: Observed sanitizer bucket with above 200 ppm chlorine in kitchen. Sanitizer was diluted by PIC to approved levels at time of inspection. Discussed approved use of sanitizers with the person-in-charge (PIC). Sanitizer must be used at concentrations and in an approved manner per manufacturer instructions, 40 CFR 180.940, and 40 CFR 180.2020. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

PRIORITY VIOLATION-7-201.11 - Priority: Separation-Storage

Addl Notes: Observed lysol, glass cleaner, dayquil, and chafing fuel stored with spices and cans and over food prep table. Chemicals must be stored away from food, utensils, and single service items at all times to prevent contamination. All chemicals were relocated and properly stored by PIC at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 47

Description: Food and Non-Food-Contact Surfaces Cleanable, Properly Designed, Constructed and Used

Comments:

4-202.11 - Priority Foundation: Food-Contact Surfaces-Cleanability. For a permanent fix to this violation, check out these simple tools in our Active Managerial Control Toolbox, made especially for you. https://www.maricopa.gov/4574/AMC-Toolbox---Food-Contact-Surfaces. Addl Notes: Observed bus tubs used for oysters with holes, cracks, partially melted, or with holes manually drilled in bottoms above 3-compartment sink. Also observed fish scale remover rusted and stored by 3-compartment sink. Equipment was condemned at time of inspection. All equipment must be smooth, easily cleanable, non-absorbent, and maintained in good repair. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Comments/Details


No County legal action will result from this inspection.
Discussed removing foil from prep tables, installing faucet on 3-compartment sink (sprayer only is not approved), providing a hose-bib vacuum breaker for garden hose under 3-compartment sink and disconnecting sprayer when not in use, removing unused water sprayer connected to filter assembly above prep sink, repairing leak from reach-in freezer, cold holding and using deep pans in prep table, and storage of glassware in freezer in bar area.

"A" for Food Safety

Through our grading system, Maricopa County Environmental Services Department provides at-a-glance indications of how food establishments perform during food safety inspections. This system is designed to grade food establishments in terms of food safety requirements and provide recognition to those who choose to participate.

How does it work?

The issuance of grade cards to food establishments is based on voluntary participation. The person in charge, who is present during the inspection, will be asked whether they would like to participate in the Grading System. This will be decided prior to each inspection. If an establishment does not participate in the Grading System, Not Participating or NP will appear on the inspection report, and the inspection will still occur. If an establishment does participate, a grade of A, B, C, or D will be determined at the conclusion of the inspection using the Grading System chart below. Participating establishments will then be provided with a grade card that can be posted in the establishment. The status of the establishment’s grade will also appear on the Restaurant Ratings page of the department’s website.

How can I determine the grade?

The Grading System chart can be used to determine grades earned for establishments that do not participate. Grades are determined by the number of Priority and Priority Foundation violations received at the time of inspection. Violation types are defined in general terms below.

Definitions

Priority Violation
Major violation that directly contributes to increasing the risk of foodborne illness or injury (e.g. Food employees do not properly wash hands when required).
Priority Foundation Violation
Minor violation that does not directly contribute to an increased risk of foodborne illness but failure to correct this violation may lead to the occurrence of a priority violation. For example, hand washing soap and paper towels not available at hand wash sink (may lead directly to food employees not properly washing hands when required).
Core Violation
Minor violation that relates to general maintenance and sanitation (e.g. No sign reminding employees to wash hands).
Cutting Edge Program
All county food-related establishments can partner with Maricopa County to implement a proactive approach to reducing foodborne illness risk factors by implementing food safety systems that include policies, training, and verification processes. Partners enrolled in the Cutting Edge Program receive an A+ when an A is earned.
Grading System The matrix below is used to grade food inspections under the voluntary grading system.
Violation Category Grade A Grade B Grade B Grade B Grade B Grade B Grade B Grade B Grade C Grade C Grade C Grade C Grade C Grade C Grade D Grade D
Priority 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 2 2 more than 2 more than 3
Priority Foundation 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 5 3 4 0 1 2 more than 3 more than 0

Any legal action for a pattern of non-compliance or permit suspension results in a D.