POLLO TROPICAL #129

Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. Observed gap underneath back exit door.

Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Observed ceiling vent located above the three compartment sink soiled.

Basic - Cove molding at floor/wall juncture broken/missing. Observed cove molding at the three compartment sink soiled and in disrepair.

Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. Observed back exit door with gap underneath. Operator placed service call. Corrective Action Taken

Basic - No container installed for catching grease from hood drip tray. Observed no hood drip container for back cook line. Operator installed container. Corrected On-Site

High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed skirt steak (100F - Hot Holding)at the steam table. As per employee less than 1 hr. Employee reheated the beef . Corrective Action Taken

Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Observed handwashing sink blocked. Operator removed tables. Corrected On-Site

Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Observed door of the reach in cooler in disrepair by the drive thru window .

Basic - Floors not constructed to be easily cleanable. Observed floor tile missing grout throughout the establishment.

Basic - Food stored on floor. Observed a bucket of marinara on the floor inside walk in cooler. Operator removed container from the floor. Corrected On-Site

Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Observed ice buildup in walk in freezer.

Basic - No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. Observed no handwashing sign for employees at one bathroom available in lobby area.

High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed plantains (56F - Cold Holding) at fryer station. As per label for 2 hours. Operator added plantains to Time as a Public Health Control form to keep at room temperature. Corrective Action Taken

Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Observed ice buildup inside walk in freezer at door.

Intermediate - No written procedures available for use of time as a public health control to hold time/temperature control for safety food. Provided written procedures to manager via email.

Basic - Cardboard used to line nonfood-contact shelves. Observed cardboard lining shelf with slushy machine at dry storage area.

Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Observed wet stacked plastic containers on shelves across from 3 compartment sink.

Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. Observed gap at bottom of back exit door.

Basic - Floor-mounted equipment that is not easily movable is not sealed to the floor and has legs that provide less than a 6-inch clearance between the floor and equipment. Observed reach in cooler containing rolling food cart at cook line. Repeat Violation

Basic - Observed ceiling vent soiled with black substance near walk in cooler.

Basic - Open dumpster lid. Corrected On-Site

Marked exit/path to marked exit blocked. For reporting purposes only. Observed cart with cardboard boxes stored in front of back exit door.

High Priority - Dented/rusted cans present. See stop sale. Observed 3 cans of sliced jalapeños with rust.

High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. Observed food employee at front counter donned gloves, no hand wash. Manager coached employee and employee removed gloves and washed hands. Corrected On-Site

Intermediate - Observed time as a public health control written procedures available are incomplete. Discussed written plan with manager.

Basic - Floor-mounted equipment that is not easily movable is not sealed to the floor and has legs that provide less than a 6-inch clearance between the floor and equipment. Observed rolling reach in cooler at front counter.

Basic - No conspicuously located ambient air temperature thermometer in holding unit. Observed at desserts reach in cooler at front counter. Manager placed ambient thermometer inside unit.

Basic - Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. Observed near fryer.

Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Observed food debris inside hand sink at cook line. Manager removed debris. Corrected On-Site

Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. Observed ceiling vent soiled with black substance near 3 compartment sink.

Basic - Current Hotel and Restaurant license not displayed. Observed license displayed expired on 10-1-2022. Provided

Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. Observed employee portioning cooked vegetables at front counter not wearing hair restraint. Corrected On-Site

Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Observed reach in cooler gaskets in disrepair at front counter area.

Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed reach in cooler gaskets soiled with black substance at front counter area. Observed walk in cooler gaskets soiled with black substance.

Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Observed single service pans not inverted at front counter. Corrected On-Site

Basic - Standing water in bottom of reach-in-cooler. Observed at reach in cooler drawers near service window. Manager removed water. Corrected On-Site

Basic - Water leaking from pipe and/or faucet/handle. Observed water leaking from pipe onto floor at 3 compartment sink and hand sink near service window. Repeat Violation

Basic - Wiping cloth quaternary ammonium compound sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength. Observed quaternary ammonium solution at 0ppm. Manager corrected to 200ppm. Corrected On-Site

High Priority - Non-food grade paper/paper towel used as liner for food container. Observed single use, Polo Tropical brown paper take-out bags, used to line a container of sweet plantains, located next to fryer station. Manager removed brown paper bags from food container. Corrected On-Site

High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Observed two food containers of cooked chopped chicken breast stored on top of raw marinated chicken, stored inside a closed metal container were raw marinated chicken is stored, located in walk in cooler. Manager discarded cooked chicken breast. Corrected On-Site

High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to adulteration of food product. Time/temperature control for safety food reheated for hot holding not reaching 165 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds within 2 hours. Observed vegan ground meat (105 - Reheating) located in hot holding unit. As per Manager, food item was reheated at 8am, temperature taken at 11:50am, not reheated to 165°F within 2 hours. Manager discarded vegan ground beef. Corrective Action Taken

High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed raw chicken (47 - Cold Holding) in reach in cooler, located across from fryer station, less than 4 hours. Manager removed food containers of raw chicken and placed into walk in freezer to lower temperatures to 41°F and below. Observed raw chicken cooled down to ( 42 -Cold Holding), stored in reach in cooler across from fryer station. Corrected On-Site

High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food reheated for hot holding not reaching 165 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds within 2 hours. Observed vegan ground meat (105 - Reheating) located in hot holding unit. As per Manager, food item was reheated at 8am, temperature taken at 11:50am, not reheated to 165°F within 2 hours. Manager discarded vegan ground beef. Corrective Action Taken

High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed grilled chicken breast (129 - Hot Holding) located at hot holding drawers, at food service line, less than 4 hours. Manager removed grilled chicken breast to cookline, to reheat to 165°F and above. Rechecked grilled chicken breast 168 - Hot Holding at grill station. Corrected On-Site

Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Observed a small metal strainer/ grate, stored in handwash sink next to larger kitchen tumbler. Manager removed items stored in sink.

Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. Observed a foam cup container used and left inside a food storage container of garlic cilantro sauce, stored inside walk in cooler at kitchen area. Manager removed foam container stored in sauce. Corrected On-Site

Basic - Current Hotel and Restaurant license not displayed. Observed current license displayed dated October 1, 2021.

Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. Observed ice bucket, not in use, not kept inverted to allow to properly air dry, stored on top of ice machine. Manager inverted ice bucket. Corrected On-Site

Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Observed torn reach in cooler gaskets, located across from fryer station.

Basic - Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris located under storage shelves inside walk in freezer.

Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed soiled reach in cooler gaskets located throughout kitchen area. Repeat Violation

Basic - Reach-in cooler shelves with rust that has pitted the surface located at cooler unit across from fryer station.

Basic - Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry located at mop sink area.

Gas water heater exhaust not venting properly/ in disrepair. Observed gas water heater vent exhaust in disrepair, not affixed to exhaust pipe to allow proper ventilation. For reporting purposes only.

High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed pork (117°F - Hot Holding) at hot holding cabinet at kitchen area. Employee reheated item to 171°F. Corrected On-Site

Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Observed interior of ice bin soiled near drive thru window.

Basic - Ceiling vents soiled with accumulated dust. Located near ware washing area.

Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Observed reach in cooler gasket soiled at front counter area.

Basic - Water leaking from pipe and/or faucet/handle. Observed water leaking from pipe onto floor underneath hand sink at cook line.

Basic - Wiping cloth quaternary ammonium compound sanitizing solution not at proper minimum strength. Observed quaternary ammonium solution at cook line at 0ppm. Employee adjusted to 300pm. Corrected On-Site

Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Observed plastic squeeze bottle of olive olive at cook line not labeled. Observed container of flour at dry storage area not labeled. Manager labeled items. Corrected On-Site Repeat Violation