Allan Appel Photo
The oreja puerco — pig’s ear stew — was over 140 degrees.
Jose Collado opened his deli display case for a moment to place some insalada de marisco above the tres leches.
Just then — wouldn’t you know? — the city sanitarian walked in.
As the door was held open to put the seafood salad above the three milks cake, the arrow on the thermometer in the cold case quickly ticked up to 50 degrees. That’s ten degrees warmer than is allowed.
That’s one reason why Collado Restaurant, the popular Caribbean-style eatery at Washington Avenue and Morris Street in the Hill, was one of two out of 40 establishments that didn’t pass health department inspections between Oct. 16 and Oct. 22.
Still, owner Collado, who said his place passed its previous inspections over the years, expressed gratitude for city sanitarian Roslyn Hamilton’s visit and the reminders of proper practices that a busy restaurateur can sometimes forget.
The day after the visit he and his staff were busy scraping clean the walk-in refrigerator, providing paper towels, not napkins, at the front hand sink, and making all the other improvements called for.
Including keeping the door to the front display closed.
City sanitarians inspect all of New Haven’s restaurants, groceries, bars, and any establishment that serves food between one and four times a year. Establishments that score less than 80 usually have two weeks to make the recommended corrections. The health department can also close a restaurant regardless of its score if the sanitarians suspect an immediate danger to public health. (Scroll down in this story for specific results from the latest inspections.)
When Collado explained the small temperature change, Hamilton quipped, “Well, I guess I came at the wrong moment.”
The walls and shelves and equipment in the walk-in refrigerator were undergoing a deep scraping and cleaning, per the inspection.
“We find that good [the sanitarian’s visit], because things you sometimes don’t keep in your mind, you learn [again],” Collado said.
The pollo guisado (stewed chicken) has potatoes and carrots. When cooked, it must cool to 70 degrees before refrigeration.
In the kitchen area Hamilton found another timing and temperature problem. The pollo guisado, or stewed chicken, had been cooked and was cooling, waiting to be stored. Hamilton measured its temperature: 95 degrees. That’s a no-no; cooked food must cool down to 70 degrees before being stored in the walk-in.
All in the timing.
Collado said he was cool with that. Lunch time is particularly busy at the restaurant, which he completely renovated with a top-flight new kitchen when he took it over seven years ago.
The tres leche cake and all the items in the cold case were all properly chilled below 40 degrees.
Staff from the Truman School across the street, and often policemen, firefighters, and other city workers, drop by for the wide variety of food including popular pig’s ears or orejo puerco.
When business is brisk up front, Collado said, he sometimes forgets to regularly go back into the kitchen to supervise. He said he’s doing that now, thanks to the visit.
Following are the results of the latest inspections around town:
The Winners
The following received passing grades:
10/16/2012: Dunkin Donuts, 255 Kimberly Ave., Score: 90; Pizza Corner of New Haven, 45 York St., Score: 81; New Worthington Hooker School, 691 Whitney Ave., Score: 100; Wilbur Cross Culinary Arts, 181 Mitchell Dr., Score: 92; Wilbur Cross High, 181 Mitchell Dr., Score: 91; Contois Restaurant, 150 Nicoll St., Score: 89; Pizza by Romano’s, 152 Ferry St., Score: 82; Cayey Market, 155 Kimberly Ave., Score: 82; Bravo Bistro, 2 Howe St., Score: 88
10/17/2012: Jepson Magnet School, 15 Lexington Ave., Score: 92; Quinnipiac Elementary School, 460 Lexington Ave., Score: 95; Bishop Woods School, 1481 Quinnipiac Ave., Score: 98;
10/18/2012: Paula’s Science Park Cafe, 150 Munson St., Score: 80; Carissa’s Cafe, 175 Humphrey St., Score: 91; James Hillhouse High, 480 Sherman Pkwy, Score: 87; CVC Pharmacy #811, 1168 Whalley Ave., Score: 91; Celentano School, 400 Canner St., Score: 95; Moe Market, 507 Dixwell Ave., Score: 90; Worthington Hooker School, 180 Canner St., Score: 92
10/19/2012: Jojo’s Coffee and Tea, 1177 Chapel St., Score: 83; Dunkin Donuts, 200 Sargent Dr., Score: 84; Chapel Mini Market, 1182 Chapel St., Score: 90; Est Est Est Pizza, 1176 Chapel St., Score: 88; Smokers Stop Convenience, 206A Dixwell Ave., Score: 92; Rice Pot Thai Cuisine, 1027 State St., Score: 80; Gloria’s Grocery, 607 East St., Score: 83; Elm City Seafood and Grill, 157 Hamilton St., Score: 86; Tortilleria La Michoacana, 656 Grand Ave., Score: 80
10/22/2012: Ali Baba, 405 Foxon Blvd., Score: 84; Dux Market, 1361 Chapel St., Score: 86; Wexler/Grant School, 55 Foote St., Score: 95; Augusta Lewis Troup School, 259 Edgewood Ave., Score: 94; Leeway, 40 Albert St., Score: 93; Mary Wade Home, 118 Clinton Ave., Score: 98; Tony and Lucille’s Little Italy, 150 Wooster St., Score: 91; subway - EJ Subs Inc., 926 Chapel St., Score: 84; The Marketa, 180 Temple St., Score: 81; Grant Head Start, 185 Goffe St., Score: 97;
2 Need Improvement
During the Oct. 16 to Oct. 22 period, the following two failed their inspections and were given two weeks to make improvements.
Collado Restaurant
698 Washington Ave.
Score: 77
Due: 2 Weeks
• Rented dishwasher water temperature less than 125 degrees
• Food containers uncovered in walk-in
• Walls, shelves, attached equipment in walk-in refrig not clean, moldy
• Shelves in walk-in freezer rusted
• Pot of beans - 59 degrees - walk-in floor
• Containers of food on walk-in floor
• Inside microwave not clean
• Front deli display case, thermometer reads 50 degrees
• Storing pots on floor, need more shelves
• Missing hand wash sink designated only hands, in front
• Missing paper towels at front sink where hands should be washed
• Walk-in floor not clean
• Missing labels on plastic containers of liquid and shakers of granular
• Keep doors closed
B&M Quality Deli
644 Ferry St.
Score: 63
Due: 2 Weeks
• Hand sink blocked by equipment - corrected on site
• Inside reach-in refrigerator floors not clean
• Clean can opener, not clean inside microwave
• Cardboard lining shelves in refrigerator, wiping cloth under pan near microwave
• Rubber gaskets of reach-in not clean
• Beverage cooler with rusting shelves
• Fan in walk-in not clean
• Missing labels on plastic squirt bottles of liquid an shaker bottles of granular
• Egg salad in reach in - 60 degrees, tuna salad - 41 degrees, chicken salad - 42 degrees
• Wiping cloths throughout not clean or in bucket with sanitizer
• Only one of five food workers wearing gloves when handling food, others using bare hand contact
• Fan in reach-in refrigerator with meat not clean
• Floor behind grills not clean
• Grease trap not properly maintained, clogged pipes, spillage on floor
• Broom stored on floor, hang up
• Basement with unnecessary items
• Dumpsters with lids open
• Front door propped open
• Missing “Smoking Prohibited” sign at entrance
• Missing Qualified Food Operator certificate - 30 days to retake class, register for class
• Missing designated alternate QFO document
• Missing food worker training records
• Sanitizer bucket at toxic level - more than 200 pp bleach