SAN ANTONIO – A convenience store ordered to immediately stop selling pickles and pizza, a tavern full of flies and serving tongs covered in mold. Those are just a few of the violations cited by health inspectors after recent visits to San Antonio food businesses.
UMART Grocery, located in the 2100 block of Castroville Road, earned a 76 on their health inspection last month. That was a big drop from their previous inspection in March of this year when they earned a 95.
So what happened? The food in the fridge was too warm, there was no certified food manager on duty during the inspection and the person serving pizzas didn’t have a food handler permit.
Ice bags weren’t properly labeled and there was only one set of tongs for three containers of pickles. Each container needs its own tongs.
The walk-in cooler was also in need of a top to bottom cleaning.
The business was ordered to immediately stop bagging ice, selling pickles, and preparing pizzas until the violations were corrected following a re-inspection.
Insects were a problem for Brickhouse Tavern & Tap Restaurant in the 1000 block of Loop 1604 on the North Side.
The inspector observed “live flying inspects on food-contact surfaces” and a “significant flying insect presence” throughout the business.
The bug problem was tied to air curtains at the bar area windows that weren’t doing a good job of keeping the bugs out.
The inspector also noted mold was found on produce in the cooler, ice scoops stored on a dirty surface and dust collecting around a/c vents.
He gave the business an 82 and ordered a re-inspection.
Walter’s Food Mart in the 2100 block of Burnet street got an 83.
They had violations for a deli cooler that was too warm and tongs next to a pickle jar that were soiled with food and mold.
The handwashing sink was serving as a personal storage area. It was full of plates, open drinks, glasses, deodorant and alcohol but there were no paper towels.
There were dead bugs and other debris found in the cold hold units for food and a drain in the deli cooler had a “vast amount of mold/algae build up.”The owner told the inspector the kitchen is no longer in use.
Want to know who has good scores and who doesn’t? KSAT 12 has a new tool for that.
Just click this link, and it will take you to a new mapping tool we have showing the recent scores for San Antonio food businesses.
The reports go back six months and are frequently updated.
You can catch Tim’s BKD reports Thursday’s on the Nightbeat.