Moldy foods and lack of handwashing contribute to failed health inspection
Bart Bedsole
Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to food safety, as evidenced by health inspections on opposite ends of the spectrum for two popular Mexican food restaurants in El Paso County.
LOW SCORES
On July 24, a health inspector found 18 violations at the 3 Margaritas Family Mexican Restaurant in Widefield.
The violations include:
No certified food protection manager on duty
There were several violations related to handwashing; one employee wiped their hands on an apron and put on new gloves without first washing their hands, a worker was also observed rinsing off their hands at a handwashing sink but not using soap, and one of the handwashing sinks was missing paper towels and was blocked by a kitchen rack
The cheese grater, can opener, and ice machine had a buildup of food or soil
Several items in the walk-in cooler were “covered in mold” according to the inspection report, including lemons, limes, oranges, and bell peppers
The manager, Jackie Gonzalez, was out when KRDO13 stopped by the restaurant. She later told us over the phone that none of the moldy foods would have actually been served.
In a statement later emailed to KRDO13, she added, “Recently, our focus has been stretched as we’ve been working tirelessly to open our new taqueria on Garden of the Gods—a project we have been paying rent on for quite some time but have not yet opened. While these efforts and management changes have taken much of our attention, this is no excuse. We take full responsibility and are actively working to correct every issue noted in the inspection. Steps are already underway, and we are scheduled for reinspection early next week. We remain committed to upholding the high standards that our guests have known and trusted for years.”
3 Margaritas is still awaiting its re-inspection.
OTHER FAILING SCORES:
Waffle House – 755 W Fillmore St
Itopit – 3151 N Chestnut St
Jersey Mike’s Subs – 5855 Constitution Ave
AI Sushi and Grill – 4655 Centennial Blvd
HIGH SCORES
McDonald’s – 3021 W Colorado Ave
McDonald’s – 510 N Murray
Insomnia Cookies – 4239 N Nevada Ave
Buffalo Wild Wings Go – 373 E Fillmore
Smoothie Paradise – 750 Citadel Dr
In-N-Out Burger – 1840 Democracy Pt (failed both July 22 and July 30)
The Famous Steak House – 31 N Tejon St
Sabor A Mexico Restaurant and Bakery – 265 S Circle
Although the location near Circle and Airport has been home to previous restaurants, Sabor A Mexico is relatively new, owned by Carlos Cabrera, who is very proud of his reviews so far.
“We got 74 reviews, all five stars,” he points out.
Cabrera believes what separates his restaurant from others is the authenticity and the care that goes into each dish.
He showed KRDO13 the meat and birria that is cooked 14 hours in large pots before it’s served as quesabirria tacos.
The tortillas are also made fresh, along with a large variety of pan dulce, pies, and other pastries sold individually from cases along one of the walls near the counter.
Cabrera says they are made the way his mother made them when he was a boy in Mexico.
“This is real Mexican. It’s not a fancy product. It’s not even expensive. It’s $1.75 apiece,” he explains.
Carlos did add a brief warning for people coming down to check out the tacos, pupusas, or other entries… It’s not fast food… because quality dishes can take 20 minutes or more to properly prepare.
Don’t forget to look for the KRDO13 Restaurant Roundup awards at your favorite restaurant to know the kitchen inside is clean.
Click here to see the full list of recent health inspections.