Downtown Colorado Springs brewery working toward “nice list” status after health dept. concerns

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A well-known brewery in Downtown Colorado Springs is working hard to get back on the “nice list” after a run-in with the health department this holiday season. Meanwhile, one restaurant in Manitou Springs should be renamed "Heaven’s Kitchen" based on how clean it is!

Phantom Canyon Brewing Company on E Pikes Peak Avenue failed its routine health inspection with eight violations. To name a few:

The cooler was a little too warm, putting their sauces and soups in the temperature danger zone, so the inspector forced them to toss the batch!

It was also noted that cooks left the kitchen and wiped their hands on their aprons without changing gloves.

Also, the inspector said food containers were visibly soiled on the clean pan rack, and an in-use knife was stored between soiled cooler lids.

We stopped by and talked to the General Manager, Mario Moser, who said they’ve rearranged their cooler for better air flow, and temps are now well below the limit.

“I want to just make sure that everybody understands that we do take this to heart,” Moser assured.

Moser says they’ve also increased handwashing and other training – and started prepping food away from the clean dishes; they were spotless when he took us through the kitchen!

"We are totally ready for the re-inspection – we’re actually looking forward to it," the General Manager said. "We just want them to come back in so that we can prove to everybody that we are still a mainstay downtown for food safety and quality."

Now to our Ho Ho Ho high scores:

The Dublin House on Dominion Way and The Chuckwagon on Omaha Boulevard!

We also have a perfect score this week:

Ruffrano's Hell's Kitchen Pizza in Manitou Springs!

"We’re just on it all the time," employee Brennan Fortune told us when we stopped by. "About every 5 to 10 minutes, [we] come out here and clean the entire place."

All of our Restaurant Roundup stories are based on routine health inspections by the El Paso County Health Department.

Keep an eye out for the KRDO13 Restaurant Roundup awards at your favorite restaurant to know the kitchen inside is clean!

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