Moldy cheese and food without expiration dates cause failed inspection in Old Colorado City

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - Restaurants in Briargate, Old Colorado City, and Fountain all landed on the low end of the health inspection score spectrum last week, while a North Gate kitchen known for its tortillas and sweet pork earned a top spot. 

Low scores

Over the past 40+ years, Guthrie's Sports Bar and Grill on Kelly Johnson has earned a reputation for its wings and food as much as a place to grab a drink. 

However, on April 24, the health inspector also found 11 violations, including: 

• Wings found inside the fridge in a bag with condensation 
• A leaky pipe under the 3-compartment sink 
• No dates on cooked potatoes as well several squirt bottles in the cooler 

When KRDO13 visited Guthrie’s to ask about the violations, owner Lance Ryherd said those wings were simply put away a bit early. 

"They got put in the cooler a little bit too soon after cooling off, so that was it, that's fixed,” he said. 

He later took 13 us through his kitchen to show the other improvements made after the inspection. 

Despite the violations, Ryherd claims the inspector was very complimentary about its appearance. 

“She did say it was the cleanest kitchen she'd ever seen,” he said. 

Guthrie's passed its re-inspection on April 29 to get back into good standing. 

Hammond's Pastrami and Smoked Delicatessen is a recent arrival inside the Trails End Taphouse in Old Colorado City, a building that formerly housed the Mason Jar. 

Hammond’s failed its inspection on April 23 with 11 violations. 

The problems there included: 

• Employees not washing hands after handling dirty dishes, or handling cleaning chemicals, or taking money 
• Moldy cheese from 12 days earlier was found in the fridge 
• There was 'almost no date marking' throughout the facility 

It was closed when KRDO13 stopped by for a response, but co-owner Zach Romey sent an email saying despite the violations found, everything was "well within safe food standards" at Hammonds. 

Romey added, "We're fortunate for the inspection, just to ensure we button things up even tighter, which we've already done ahead of our re-inspection this week.” 

That includes adding dates to all items, even those that typically sell out in a day or two. 

Hammond's is still awaiting its re-inspection. 

Arashi Sushi Hibachi and Grill on Fountain Mesa Road in Fountain also earned a spot in this week's roundup. 

The 9 violations found on April 23 include: 

• The handwashing sink was blocked by a tray of mushrooms 
• Fish on the sushi shelves was at the wrong temperature 
• Raw fish and raw eggs were stored above ready-to-eat items in the cooler 

The owner declined to address the violations. 

Arashi passed its re-inspection on May 8. 

High scores

Several restaurants notched just a single violation last week: 

Uva Wine Bar - 1268 Interquest 

Wingstop - 530 S Academy 

Azteca Gourmet Tamales - 2378 Academy Pl 

However, three restaurants earned a perfect score: 

Taco Bell - 450 Runway Pt 

Josh & John's - 120 E Cheyenne Rd 

Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill - 122 Tracker 

At Costa Vida, there is a big emphasis on “fresh”. 

“We make everything in-house.  Everything,” explained Assistant Manager Alexis Sewell. 

That includes the tortillas, which are pressed from the shape of a tennis ball into a foot-wide flap in a matter of seconds, then tossed onto a rotating comal to be cooked. 

“You can't really find a fresh tortilla anywhere else, and they're honestly the best thing ever, and you can't have a meal without a tortilla,” says Sewell. 

She credits a loyal, dedicated staff for the perfect score. 

On the wall, there are nine certificates for staff members who have taken a course to become a Certified Food Protection Manager. 

Immediately after KRDO13’s visit, the restaurant’s operator was scheduled to attend a corporate meeting about food safety, and he said it's something held regularly to ensure high standards of food safety. 

Keep an eye out for the KRDO13 Restaurant Roundup awards at your favorite restaurants to know the kitchen is clean.

Click here to view all the recent health department inspections in El Paso County.