An Alpharetta Mexican restaurant failed its routine health inspection Thursday after a county inspector observed potentially hazardous food improperly cooled and expired salsa, among other violations.
El Don Bar & Grill at 6320 Atlanta Hwy received a 59/U on the inspection, according to a Georgia Department of Public Health report. It had scored 91/A on its last two inspections in 2015 and 2014.
"We're new owners. We just took over a week ago," El Don manager Roque Rodriguez told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "And we're so embarrassed."
In addition to observing potentially hazardous food improperly cooled and salsa not discarded by its seven-day discard date, the inspector noted "no measurable amount of sanitizer" in the dish machine and chemical spray bottles without labels.
The inspector also found raw shrimp thawing under warm water.
According to the report, the floor by the walk-in cooler and the back door wasn't in good condition or easily cleanable.
Rodriguez said his employees have already began solving these sanitizing problems and are tracking temperatures in strict logs.
"I've never had that kind of score in the 15 years I've been in this business," Rodriguez said. "I couldn't sleep last night thinking about it."
He is addressing the issues noted by the inspector and aims to solve all of the problems by Monday or Tuesday, he said.
A follow-up inspection will occur Friday, August 11.
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