An East Side Chinese restaurant was the only local food establishment to fail an unannounced inspection in November.

Gourmet of China, 2544 S. Kolb Road, failed a Nov. 7 inspection and a follow-up inspection conducted two weeks later, but passed a Dec. 4 inspection that restored its regular license to serve food, said Sharon Browning, director of Pima County’s Consumer Health and Food Safety unit.

That’s a pattern that played out with all three food purveyors that failed October inspections: Brawley’s Restaurant, 6367 E. Broadway; Tiny’s Saloon & Steakhouse, 4900 E. Ajo Way; and the commissary of mobile vendor Salon de Eventos El Mesquite, 7130 S. Ajo Way.

All three failed unannounced and follow-up inspections in October, but passed subsequent inspections conducted in November.

During its unannounced inspection, Gourmet of China received critical violations for potentially hazardous foods not held at proper cooling temperature; food separation, packaging, segregation and substitution methods not preventing food and ingredient contamination; food contact surfaces and equipment not cleaned frequently and properly to prevent food contamination; foods not correctly date-marked; and other critical items not in compliance.

While the restaurant had satisfactorily dealt with four of the violations by the time it was reinspected Nov. 20, a pest problem that fell into the “other critical items” violation was largely responsible for the restaurant’s failure to pass the follow-up inspection, Browning said.

A slow leak in a water heater at the restaurant was to blame for the presence of cockroaches, she said.

“They took immediate steps to get rid of that, including placing the water heater on a base so that they would be able to spot a leak, no matter how slow it was,” Browning said. “This really had more to with an infrastructural problem. When the place was built, it was subdivided from an old Safeway store, and the cockroaches were confined to the immediate area around the water heater related to the infrastructure.”

Gourmet of China made a prompt and concerted effort, but as is almost always the case, pest infestations take longer than a few days to completely eradicate, she said.

“Once you become aware that you have a problem, it takes longer than just a week or so to confirm that you’ve solved the problem,” Browning said. “If they hadn’t taken such good measures, the problem wouldn’t have gone away as soon as it did to restore their regular license.”

Many restaurants, including some of the more expensive destinations in town, can escape the notoriety associated with pest problems because they don’t gather the requisite number of other critical violations that result in a failed inspection, she said.

“You’d be surprised at who has got a roach problem, believe me,” Browning said.

These restaurants and establishments that serve food received “Needs Improvement” ratings on unannounced inspections in November:

• Chinese Combo, 7850 N. Silverbell Road

• Food City, 1775 W. Ajo Way

• Fraternal Order of Eagles, 1530 N. Stone Ave.

• Furr’s Family Dining, 1095 W. St. Mary’s Road

• Gavi Italian Restaurant, 7865 E. Broadway

• Hamburger Stand, 3102 E. Grant Road

• La Frontera Center/Casa De Vida, 1900 W. Speedway

• La Parrilla Suiza, 4250 W. Ina Road

• Quick Stop, 1002 W. Congress St.

• Rusty’s Family Restaurant & Sports Grille, 2075 W. Grant Road

• Tacos Apson, 3501 S. 12th Ave.

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