Health Inspectors Uncover Infestation and Spoiled Rice at Local Asian Eateries

A surge in restaurant inspections is underway as the Pinal County Health Department steps up its oversight of local businesses in 2024. Since January 1, inspectors have issued 20 reports across Maricopa.

The activity intensified during the week of January 8-16, when inspectors evaluated 15 establishments after assessing five businesses in the year’s opening week.

W&Z Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar, freshly opened in November 2023, initially received an “excellent” rating with no noted violations during its first inspection. However, upon revisiting the establishment on Wednesday, the inspectors downgraded their rating to “satisfactory.” The issue was identified in their cooked sushi rice, which lacked proper time labeling for food safety compliance.

The restaurant’s manager responded swiftly, cooking a fresh batch of rice and committing to better record-keeping practices moving forward.

While several restaurants faced issues, 14 others impressed inspectors with “excellent” ratings. These included Arby’s and Barro’s Pizza, located in the Cobblestone Fiesta shopping center, which both passed their inspections without any violations.

In contrast, Tacos N’ More, situated nearby, failed to meet health standards due to improperly sealed doors, potentially allowing pests to enter.

On January 9, inspectors assessed Molly’s House of Little Feet and Sunrise Preschool and found them compliant. Li’s Garden, however, presented multiple violations, such as inadequate foot protection for staff and an untidy workspace, raising concerns about health safety.

An ongoing issue for Li’s Garden since a May 2023 inspection was also noted, revealing persistent concerns about fly control in the kitchen. During the latest inspection, traps were found in the food preparation area, posing potential contamination risks.

Further inspections that week revealed no violations at Burger King and The Slab Premium Meats. Additional checks at Nekter Juice Bar, Fry’s Marketplace Sushi Bar, Children’s Learning Adventure Childcare, and Dunkin’ Donuts also yielded compliant results.

Asian Seoul’s Copa Kitchen and The Duke at Rancho El Dorado maintained satisfactory health standards upon inspections on Wednesday.

The health inspection ratings serve as a vital measure of restaurant compliance:

• Excellent: All priority standards are met.
• Satisfactory: Some issues exist but are corrected immediately.
• Needs Improvement: One or more standards are violated, requiring follow-up inspections.
• Unacceptable: Imminent health hazards are present.