Inspection Report

Business Name
The Spot Grill

Business Address
18251 N PIMA RD SCOTTSDALE AZ 85255

Permit Number
FD-81720

Permit Type
Food Establishment - Eating & Drinking

Inspection Purpose
Food Routine Inspection

Inspection Date
11/4/2025

Grade
Not Participating

Priority Violation
4

Inspection Status
Completed

Violations

Violation #: 21

Description: Proper Hot Holding Temperatures

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-501.16(A)(1) - Priority: Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Hot Holding. 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/4614/AMC-Toolbox---Hot-Holding.

Addl Notes: On stove top, in covered pan, cooked rice with an internal temperature of 90*F. Per employee, heat was turned off of stove <10 minutes. Employee turned heat back on stove top and reheated rice back up to 165*F. Maintain TCS (time/ temperature control for food safety) foods at a hot holding temperature of 135*F or higher at all times. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 23

Description: Proper Date Marking and Disposition

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-501.18 - Priority: Ready-To-Eat Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food, Disposition. 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: In walk in cooler, green salsa/ 10-26, cut tomato salsa/ 10-28, smoked onions/ 10-24, cream sauce/ 10-25, past 7-day discard dates. Salsas, sauces, and smoked onions were discarded. See embargo form. RTE/TCS foods requiring date marking are to be date marked within 24 hours and sold or discarded after 7 days (including the day it was made as day 1). Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 24

Description: Time as a Public Health Control: Procedures and Records

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-501.19 (B1,3-4; C1,4-5) - Priority: Time as a Public Health Control; Temperature, Discarded. 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: On cook line, cooked mushrooms without time documentation for time as a public health control. Per employee, time was not written on container and was prepared >4 hours. Employee discarded cooked mushrooms. See embargo form. Discussed the importance of following written time as a public health control procedures and discarding TCS foods after 4 hour time frame. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 39

Description: Contamination Prevented during Food Preparation, Storage and Display

Comments:

PRIORITY VIOLATION-3-303.11 - Priority: Ice Used as Exterior Coolant, Prohibited as Ingredient. 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: At bar, in customer ice bin, wine bottle stored directly in ice. Employee removed wine bottle and removed all ice. Ice used as an exterior coolant may not be used as an ingredient in any food/drinks. Corrective Action: Corrected at time of inspection.

Violation #: 47

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

Comments:

4-501.12 - Core: Cutting Surfaces Addl Notes: Throughout kitchen, cutting boards deeply scored. Resurface or replace. Surfaces such as cutting blocks and boards that are subject to scratching and scoring shall be resurfaced if they can no longer be effectively cleaned and SANITIZED, or discarded if they are not capable of being resurfaced. Cutting surfaces such as cutting boards and blocks that become scratched and scored may be difficult to clean and sanitize. As a result, pathogenic microorganisms transmissible through food may build up or accumulate. These microorganisms may be transferred to foods that are prepared on such surfaces. Corrective Action: Correct prior to next routine inspection.

Violation #: 51

Description: Plumbing Installed; Proper Backflow Devices

Comments:

5-205.15 (B) - Core: System Maintained in Good Repair; Maintained Addl Notes: At warewashing machine handwashing sink, drain pipe and faucet leaking, at mop sink, atmospheric vacuum breaker leaking, and at prep handwashing sink, cold water not working. Repair all handwashing sinks and mop sinks. All plumbing are to be maintained in good repair at all times. Corrective Action: Correct prior to next routine inspection.

Comments/Details

No County legal action will result from this inspection.
Ensure all employees working with food obtain food worker certification from ANSI certified online site.

"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.