RESTAURANT ROUNDUP: Accumulation of pests leads to failed health inspection

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - KRDO13 Investigates went on the road to Pueblo County in this week's Restaurant Roundup.

With a much smaller number of restaurants in Pueblo County than El Paso County, and far fewer health inspections each week, KRDO13 went through several months of reports to find out who scored the highest and lowest.

Lin Express

With 14 violations, the Lin Express near 29th Street and I-25 racked up more violations than any other. 

Among the problems were:

• The inspector found employees eating and drinking in areas where it's not allowed
• One of the cooks also handled raw chicken, then cooked food, without first washing their hands 
• There was no soap at the handwashing sink or in the bathrooms 
• There was a buildup of grease and food debris on utensils and cooking surfaces 
• There was an accumulation of dead pests inside 

Lin Express is a popular spot in Pueblo. 

Even before KRDO13 Investigates walked into Lin Express to ask the management about the violations, a customer outside asked, “Y'all going in there to get some of the best food ever?” 

Unfortunately, the woman at the counter didn't have answers about the violations. 

She instead took a phone number to give to the owner, but no one ever reached out to KRDO13 to comment on the score. 

Lin Express did pass its re-inspection a few weeks after the failing score. 

Burrito's Betty

Burrito's Betty on North Elizabeth failed its inspection twice-- once in December and again January-- before passing in February. 

The inspector's list of violations included: 

• A worker vaping in the food prep area 
• Another worker grabbing a ready-to-eat burrito with their bare hand 
• The inspector also found chopped pork and shredded beef at the wrong temperature 

The owner told KRDO13 Investigates that Burrito’s Betty has a long history of near perfect scores and was even recognized for their commitment to food safety in previous media coverage. 

Regarding the vaping violation, the owner said it was actually melatonin, not regular vaping, although that might still be a violation. 

He added that the burrito that was grabbed with a bare hand was already wrapped in foil, never contacting anyone else's skin, and felt that the health department in Pueblo needs to do a better job of educating restaurants on changes to the food safety regulations before noting violations on inspections.

Pho 50

There were 13 violations found at the Pho 50 on South Purcell in Pueblo West in February. 

Some of the reasons it lost points were: 

• Sauces and a cream cheese crab mixture didn't have dates to show when they were made 
• Roasted peanuts were found stored on newspaper 
• The inspector noted “evidence of pests accumulating near the dry storage area” 

The owner explained to KRDO13 Investigates that the restaurant is currently going through a transition of ownership and updating certain procedures. 

He said the use of newspaper to hold peanuts is a traditional Vietnamese practice, but something they have changed since the inspection. 

He then escorted KRDO13 Investigates through the kitchen to show that all violations were addressed. 

Pho 50 passed its re-inspection on March 18. 

High scores

So who scored the best in Pueblo County? The Martinez Cafe on Polk Street near Adams earned a perfect score. 

The Subway at Troy Avenue and Highway 50 was also perfect, along with the Wendy’s on Santa Fe in the downtown area. 

Just one violation was found at the Bolt Burgers and Shakes in Colorado City. 

The Chipotle on North Elizabeth, along with the Graham's Grill 3 on Jerry Murphy, and Sonora’s Meat Market & Restaurant II on South Prairie near the state fairgrounds all had one violation. 

General Manager Jennie Fletes describes Sonora’s as “a piece of Mexico.” 

Fletes oversees not only the kitchen but the meat market and the small grocery store that includes specialty items not typically carried at the larger supermarkets. 

However, the biggest draw is the restaurant, which includes a number of authentic Mexican dishes. 

“People love, and I do too, the quesabirria tacos; it's one of our most popular items. We sell the menudo.  We also have the enchiladas with our signature pork green chile,” says Fletes. 

When asked how she maintains such a clean kitchen with so much going on, she said she tells her staff to treat the kitchen like a kitchen where they would feel safe eating themselves. 

Don't forget to look for the Top Score and Perfect Score awards at your favorite restaurants so you know the kitchen is clean.