Inspection Report
Ah-So Sushi & Steak
2450 W HAPPY VALLEY RD PHOENIX AZ 85085
FD-30659
Food Establishment - Eating & Drinking
Food Routine Inspection
10/1/2024
D
2
Re-inspection required
Violations
Violation #: 2
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 on site at the time of inspection. Predefined Comment: 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.
Violation #: 5
Description: Clean-up of Vomiting and Diarrheal Events
Comments:
2-501.11 - Priority Foundation: Clean-up of Vomiting and Diarrheal Events. 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/4125/Food-SafetyOperator-Resources. Addl Notes: Observed no bodily fluid clean up kit or written instruction for cleaning bodily fluids. Predefined Comment: Written procedures for clean-up of vomiting and diarrheal events is required onsite at all times. Provided the person in charge with bodily fluid clean up instructions. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.
Violation #: 6
Description: Proper Eating, Tasting, Drinking, or Tobacco Use
Comments:
2-401.11 - Core: Eating, Drinking, or Using Tobacco Addl Notes: Observed employee eating personal foods while working on the cook line handling and preparing food for service. Observed open containers with personal food items stored on a food prep table next to food being prepared for service in the establishment. Predefined Comment: PIC moved employee consumables to the designated area and will retrain on proper eating, drinking, and tobacco use. Predefined Comment: To ensure food safety, prevent physical contamination and the transmission of disease; employee eating, drinking, beverage storage, and using tobacco must be done in an approved area. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.
Violation #: 10
Description: Adequate Handwashing Sinks, Properly Supplied and Accessible
Comments:
6-301.12 - Priority Foundation: Hand Drying Provision. 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 no paper towels at the hand wash sink behind the sushi bar. Predefined Comment: PIC provided hand drying provision for handwash sink at time of inspection. Predefined Comment: Handwash sinks must be supplied with hot water of at least 100°F, soap and an approved hand drying provision at all times. Facilities must be maintained in a condition that promotes handwashing. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.
6-301.14 - Core: Handwashing Signage. 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 no hand wash signage at the hand wash sinks in the sushi bar that were used for hand washing. Discussed placing hand wash singage to clearly desigante sinks used for hand washing. Corrective Action: Correct prior to next routine inspection.
Violation #: 14
Description: Required Records Available: Shellstock Tags, Parasite Destruction
Comments:
3-402.12 - Priority Foundation: Records, Creation & Retention; Raw as Ready-to-Eat Fish. 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 establishment prepare and serve raw ready to eat seafood items and no parasite destruction letter retained on site. Predefined Comment: Parasite destruction records or letter from supplier are required for all non-exempt fish served raw or undercooked at establishment. Must provide parasite destruction letter from supplier prior to re-inspection. Discused obtaining an updated parasite destruction letter on an annual basis from all seafood providers. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection.
Violation #: 16
Description: Food-Contact Surfaces: Cleaned and Sanitized
Comments:
4-602.11 (E) - Core: Equipment Food - Contact Surfaces and Utensils-Frequency; Non-TCS. 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 build up of organic matter in the nozzle of the soda gun behind the bar. Predefined Comment: All food-contact surfaces must be cleaned to sight and touch. The person in charge directed employees to remove and clean the nozzle of the soda gun. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.
PRIORITY VIOLATION-4-501.114 (A-E) - Priority: Manual and Mechanical Warewashing Equipment, Chemical Sanitization- Temperature, pH, Concentration and Hardness. 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 mechanical dishwasher behind the bar operate with less than 10ppm chlorine sanitizer. The person in charge discontinued use of the mechanical diswasher and placed a work order for service. Predefined Comment: Food-contact surfaces must be properly sanitized after washing and rinsing. Predefined Comment: Discussed the importance of proper sanitizer levels and proper monitoring of sanitizer levels. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection.
Violation #: 28
Description: Toxic Substances Properly Identified, Stored, and Used; Held for Retail Sale, Properly Stored
Comments:
PRIORITY VIOLATION-7-208.11 (B) - Priority: Storage-First Aid Supplies; Storage
Addl Notes: Observed first aid spray solutions stored on a shelf above the expo line directly over food prep area and storage of clean utensils. Predefined Comment: 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.
7-209.11 - Core: Storage-Other Personal Care Items Addl Notes: Observed employee personal items such as purse hand bags and personal drinks stored in areas of food prep/food storage, next to food equipment, and next to clean utensils on the cook line, the expo line, prep line, and behind the bar. Observed employee medication stored in a reach in cooler above raw and ready to eat food items. Discussed the storage of employee personal items in designated areas to protect food and food equipment from contamination. The person in charge moved all employee items to designated area. Predefined Comment: All medicines must be stored away from food, utensils, and single service items to prevent contamination. All medicines were relocated and properly stored by PIC at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.
Violation #: 29
Description: Compliance with Variance, Specialized Process, Reduced Oxygen Packaging Criteria or HACCP plan
Comments:
3-502.11 - Priority Foundation: Variance Requirement. 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/3978/Food-Variances. Addl Notes: Observed establishmet utilizing a specialized process of rice acidification without an approved variance. The person in charge discarded the acidified sushi rice and placed new rice under time as a control for use at the sushi bar. Predefined Comment: A variance/HACCP must be obtained prior to conducting any specialized processes. Variance/HACCP applications are available through the customer portal "Permit Center" at https://maricopacountyaz-energovweb.tylerhost.net/apps/selfservice#/home. Additional resources can be found at https://www.maricopa.gov/3978/Food-Variances. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.
Violation #: 43
Description: In-Use Utensils; Properly Stored
Comments:
3-304.12 - Core: In-Use Utensils, Between-Use Storage Addl Notes: Observed between storage of in use utensils in water with ambient temperature behind the sushi bar. The person in charge discarded the water and placed new utensils for the sushi rice at the time of inspection. Predefined Comment: In-use utensils must be stored in a clean, dry location; in running water; or in hot water above 135°F. If utensils are stored in food, the handles must be stored above the surface of the food. All in-use utensils were properly stored at time of inspection. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.
Violation #: 48
Description: Warewashing Facilities, Installed, Maintained, Used, Test Strips
Comments:
4-302.14 - Priority Foundation: Sanitizing Solutions, Testing Devices. 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 establishment utilize quat-sanitizer but have not quat-sanitizer test strips available to test santizer concentrations. Predefined Comment: Test strips are required for any sanitizers used with food contact surfaces. Provide sanitizer test strips prior to re-inspection. Corrective Action: Correct prior to re-inspection.
Violation #: 53
Description: Toilet Facilities: Properly Constructed, Supplied, Clean
Comments:
5-501.17 - Core: Toilet Room Receptacle, Covered Addl Notes: Observed no covered receptacle in the employee toilet room in the back kitchen. Predefined Comment: Uni-sex and female toilet rooms requires a covered waste receptacle. Provide prior to next routine inspection. Corrective Action: Correct prior to next routine inspection.
Violation #: 55
Description: Physical Facilities Installed, Maintained, and Clean
Comments:
6-501.12 - Core: Cleaning, Frequency and Restrictions Addl Notes: Observed an accumulation of soils on the fan covers and ceiling of the walk-in coolers, observed an accumulation of grease, food pieces, and organic matter, under and around equipment on cook line, under storage racks and other areas of the establishment. Clean more frequently. Predefined Comment: Physical facility must be cleaned frequently enough to prevent accumulation of dirt, organic matter, and food debris. Must clean physical facility prior to next routine inspection. Corrective Action: Correct prior to next routine inspection.
Comments/Details
Predefined Comment: No County legal action will result from this inspection.
Discussed storing all cleaning supplies and machinery seperate from areas of food storage. Provided the person in charge with time as a control guidance.
"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.
| 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.