Black Bear Diner Fail Part 2

Black Bear Diner
Bullhead City, AZ

Back in early March we reported about the very poor restaurant inspection that the Black Bear Diner in Bullhead City, AZ received. See the original report and inspection information here.  This is of local interest as it is just a short distance from Laughlin, NV across the bridge. 

The original inspection was on March 6, 2014.

They were re-inspected as a follow up on March 14, 2014

This inspection showed some of the issues seem to have been fixed (such as the black mold), but that there are still many others.    They still received a Needs Improvement rating and multiple violations. 

Here is a copy of the text/report from the inspector, taken from the Mohave Co. Department of Public Health Website:
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Establishment Summary
Inspection Date: 03/14/2014 Rating: Needs Improvement
Permit Description: 1003 - FOOD SERVICE - TYPE III
Establishment: BLACK BEAR DINER
Address: 1751 HWY 95 SUITE #25, BULLHEAD CITY
Violation(s):
5. Potentially hazardous foods held at proper cooling temperature
7. Hand washing facilities available and functional
19. Effective food contact controls are preventing food contamination
20. Food contact surfaces and equipment are cleaned frequently and properly to prevent food contamination
21. Food contact surfaces and equipment are sanitized frequently and properly to prevent food contamination
27. Other critical and non-critical items in compliance

Inspector Notes:
2. ALL HOT HELD FOOD WAS 140 F OR MORE. NO PAR-COOKED CHICKEN OBSERVED DURING INSPECTION. 4. NO COOLING WAS TAKING PLACE AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. 5. THE WAIT STATION PREP TOP AND REACH-IN ARE STILL NOT FIXED READING @ 59-63 F. TIME/TEMP SHEETS ARE BEING USED. THAWING UNDER 73.9 F RUNNING WATER WAS REMOVED TO REFRIGERATION AS 70 F OR LESS WATER TEMP FOR THAWING IS REQUIRED. 7. HAND SINK FOR COOKS IS CORRECT. THE OTHER HAND SINK STATION DID NOT HAVE PAPER TOWELS. CORRECTED DURING INSPECTION. 13. DID NOT OBSERVE ANY BARE HAND CONTACT OF RTE FOODS AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. IMPROPER GLOVE USE WAS OBSERVED TOUCHING RTE FOODS. 19. IMPROPER GLOVE USE OBSERVED. GLOVED FINGERS WIPED ON DIRTY RAGS THEN PICKED UP LETTUCE AND TOMATO AND PUT ON PLATE. SANDWICH PRESSED UPON RIGHT AFTER WIPING GLOVES ON RAG. POT PIE PICKED UP AND HELD WITH THUMB ON TOP OF CRUST. WEARING GLOVES BUT THEY WERE NOT CLEAN. GLOVES HAD TOUCHED WALK-IN DOOR HANDLE AND MICROWAVE HANDLE AND WERE WIPED ON A RAG BEFORE THE POT PIE WAS TOUCHED. THIS IS CROSS CONTAMINATION. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WIPED HANDS ON APRON AND THEN OPENED WALK-IN DOOR, CAME OUT, SET FOOD DOWN AND WIPED GLOVED HANDS ON RAG. 20. OBSERVED 2 BUSSERS-ONE CARRYING SMALL BOWLS WITH FINGERS INSIDE BOWL AND ONE CARRYING DRINKING GLASSES TOUCHING THE TOP RIMS AND WITH FINGERS INSIDE-CARRIED UPSIDE DOWN. TOUCH THE OUTSIDE ON THE NON- FOOD CONTACT SURFACE OF THE DISHES, UTENSILS AND BEVERAGE CONTAINERS-WHETHER GLOVES ARE WORN OR NOT. BLACK MOLD HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE WALK-IN. PICTURES TAKEN. 21. NO QUAT SANITIZER TEST STRIPS WERE AVAILABLE. QUAT SOLUTION WAS COMING OUT OF THE DISPENSER WEAK AT LESS THAN 150 PPM WHEN 200 PPM IS REQUIRED. PRO-CLEAN WAS CALLED AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION TO FIX THE DISPENSER. HOWEVER TEST STRIPS COULD HAVE BEEN PURCHASED IN THE WEEK SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION. THEY ARE REQUIRED. THIS IS A RE-OCCURRING VIOLATION. TOWEL BUCKETS WERE RE-MADE BY MIXING 1/2 TABLESPOON OF QUAT TO A GALLON OF WATER. IMPROPER RAG USE IS PREVALENT. RAGS IN THE SANITIZER TOWEL BUCKETS WERE NOT USED AT THE COOK-LINE ONCE DURING INSPECTION. INSTEAD-DRY OR DIRTY RAGS WERE LEFT ON PREP SURFACES AND GLOVED HANDS WERE WIPED AND SCRUBBED WITH UNSANITIZED RAGS. ALL RAGS MUST BE KEPT IN THE SANITIZER BUCKET BETWEEN USES AND SANITIZER MUST BE AT PROPER STRENGTH AND CHANGED FREQUENTLY. IMPROPER USE OF RAGS IS A REPEAT VIOLATION. 27. FANS IN WALK-IN ARE STILL DUSTY. SHELVES STILL NEED TO BE BETTER ARRANGED AND DEEP CLEANED. WALL BEHIND SINK STILL HAS HOLES. ALL EQUIPMENT NEEDS TO BE PULLED AWAY FROM THE WALL OR IF FIXED IN PLACE IT STILL NEEDS TO BE DEEP CLEANED AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. AN NOV WILL BE ISSUED FOR A PATTERN OF NON-COMPLIANCE AND THE FACILITY WILL BE PLACED ON A RISK CONTROL PLAN FOR THOSE ITEMS. A FOLLOW-UP INSPECTION WILL TAKE PLACE IN 10 DAYS ON OR AFTER 3-24-14. NOV WILL BE ON OR AFTER 3-19-14. MANAGER REQUESTS SUPERVISOR ATTEND THE FOLLOW-UP INSPECTION.
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As evidenced by the violations described there are still problems that we believe need to be fixed before we would ever consider visiting this location.   There are more follow up inspections indicated to be done in the report (above).    

Dine at the Black Bear in Bullhead City at your own risk, especially in light of the potential contamination violations outlined by the inspector.

The Mohave County Department of Public Health Website for searching restaurant inspections is located here.   You can search by name or city.  Both Bullhead City and Fort Mohave (Arizona) are neighbors to Laughlin and are located in Mohave County, AZ. 

Visit us at our Laughlin Buzz HomePage 

*All content in this blog post are presented for informational purposes only and use data taken from the Mohave County Department of Public Health website.   We received no compensation from the properties or restaurants in this blog post and are not in any way affiliated with them.