Kitchen Cops Reveal Restaurants that Pass and Fail City Health Inspections

The El Paso Department of Public Health gave the highest and the lowest scoring food inspection reports between June 6th and June 12th.

First on our A List is Wings and Fries at 494 Kenazo in Horizon City. It scored 94. There were no major violations here.

Next up is the IHOP at 6080 Gateway East. It easily passed inspection with a score of 93. Again, there were no serious violations here.

Finally on the A List is the Pizza Hut/Wing Street on the Westside at 7960 N. Mesa. It scored a 90.

Now on to some of the restaurants that failed inspection, meaning a score of 69 or below. First on our failing list is Grand China Buffet on the Westside at 655 Sunland Park Drive. It scored a 68. We've featured this restaurant on Kitchen Cops before. It failed inspection back in April with a score of 59. This time the inspector noted chicken that wasn't being kept hot enough. There were two roaches under the cabinets of the buffet steam table. The inspector found rodent droppings in a closet room. There was a dirty can opener. A few faucets were leaking. A manager told us they've hired an exterminator and are retraining staff on how to stay up to health code.

Ay Chihuahua at122 S. Mesa, Downtown, scored a 64. The inspector noted cheese that wasn't being kept cold enough. An employee was seen touching her glasses hair and face, then not washing her hands afterward. There was moldy tomato paste in a refrigerator, dirty bowls and spoons and a missing thermometer.

Now on to Buffalo Wild Wings at 10497 Gateway West near the Yarbrough exit. It scored a 61. According to the inspection report, an employee was seen wiping their hands on their apron instead of washing them. Employees were seen handling wings, buns, and tomatoes with their bare hands when they should have been using gloves or utensils. Paper towels were missing from a hand washing sink. There were flies in the restaurant and thermometers were missing from a number of refrigerators. A manager told us the problems were taken care of and he's working with staff to make sure the health code is maintained.

All the restaurants on the failing list corrected as many problems as possible on the spot and then passed a re-inspection. Failing restaurants are also randomly inspected about a month later.