Charlotte restaurant cited for ‘many flies’, chicken thawed in sink: Scores (June 6)

A north Charlotte restaurant received a “B” grade from the Mecklenburg County Health Department for numerous health violations, including the presence of insects and dirty kitchen equipment.

Super Mercado El Mariachi (6301 N. Tryon St. in Charlotte) received an 87.5% score during an inspection on Tuesday, June 3.

Inspectors cited the restaurant after they found “many flies in the kitchen due to the back door being left open,” county documents show.

Other violations the restaurant was cited for include:

• Raw chicken stored above sliced tomatoes

• Dirty utensils and pans are stored as clean

• Unlabeled chemical spray bottles throughout the facility

• Chicken thawing in ambient air, inside the prep sink

• Fly swatters were stored on the prep sink while the chicken was actively thawing in the prep sink

• Unwashed avocados with stickers, in use

• Metal pans stacked wet above the 3-compartment sink

• Metal fryer scoop with multiple broken wires

• Shelving throughout both walk-in coolers needs cleaning

• General cleaning is needed around the facility

• Employee food is stored above patron food inside the walk-in cooler

This is the restaurant’s 22nd “B” grade. The most recent one occurred last May.

Mecklenburg County sanitation scores

The Mecklenburg County sanitation grades database shows that at least 183 restaurant inspections were completed May 30 - June 5.

▪ Most restaurants received an A grade, or a score of at least 90%.

▪ Two restaurants received a B grade, or a score of at least 80% but lower than 90%.

▪ State of Confusion (3500 Dewitt Ln. in Charlotte) received a score of 86% during an inspection on Tuesday, June 3.

• The restaurant violated 15 standards, including improper food storage and fly fans not turned on.

• Most violations were corrected during the inspection.

• The restaurant previously scored 94% in February.

How to search NC restaurant inspection scores

Sanitation scores and their corresponding letter grades are used in North Carolina to assess restaurants’ adherence to rules and standards intended to mitigate and prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses.

You’ve likely seen sanitation grade cards at restaurants you’ve visited, and The News & Observer previously explained what those scores mean and how they’re calculated.

According to state law, permits are immediately revoked if a restaurant receives a score of less than 70%.

You can search all restaurant inspections in Mecklenburg County at public.cdpehs.com.

Evan Moore

The Charlotte Observer

Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.