The Tamale Lady

No violations were recorded at this inspection.

1. May 7, 2024 Pass

   Canvass Re-Inspection · Pass

   4 general2 paperwork Show violations

   • GeneralFood handling

     Food wasn’t labeled or wasn’t in its original container.

     Inspector’s note: 3-302.12 observed containers of tamales inside of the walk-in cooler and bags of tamales inside of the freezers without labels containing the common name of the food. Instructed to provide.

     Official wording (code 37)

     Food properly labeled; original container

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Dishwashing equipment wasn’t set up, maintained, or used correctly.

     Inspector’s note: 4-603.15 observed clean-in-place equipment and pots too large to be submerged in the 3-compartment sinks to be properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized. Instructed to provide a written procedure on the washing, rinsing, and sanitizing of clean in-place equipment and large pots or remove clean in-place equipment and large pots or provide a larger 3-compartment sink.

     Official wording (code 48)

     Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Toilet rooms weren’t built, stocked, or cleaned properly.

     Inspector’s note: 5-501.17 observed no covered receptacle inside the employee's toilet room. Instructed to provide a covered receptacle.

     Official wording (code 53)

     Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

     Inspector’s note: 6-201.11 observed concrete and uneven floors in the basement food prep/dishwashing area and the 1st floor food prep area. Instructed to make food prep/dishwashing area floor surfaces smooth, easily cleanable and non-absorbant.

     Official wording (code 55)

     Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Not all food employees had food-handler training.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.13 observed no proof of food handler training provided for all food handlers. Instructed to meet requirements.

     Official wording (code 57)

     All food employees have food handler training

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Required allergen training was missing.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.13 observed no allergen training certificate provided for city of chicago food service sanitation managers. Instructed to meet requirements.

     Official wording (code 58)

     Allergen training as required

2. Apr 24, 2024 Fail

   Canvass · Fail

   8 critical5 general2 paperwork Show violations

   • CriticalManagement & training

     Staff weren’t trained on, or didn’t follow, the rules for reporting illness.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.14(o) observed no employee health policy on site. Instructed to provide at all times. Priority foundation. Citation issued 7-38-010.

     Official wording (code 3)

     Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting

   • CriticalManagement & training

     No written plan or kit for cleaning up vomit or diarrhea.

     Inspector’s note: 2-501.11 observed no adequate supplies on site to respond to vomit and diarrhea events that can potentially occur. Instructed to provide at all times. Priority foundation. Citation issued 7-38-005.

     Official wording (code 5)

     Procedures for responding to vomiting and diarrheal events

   • CriticalHygiene & sanitation

     Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked with soap and towels.

     Inspector’s note: 6-301.11 observed no hand washing cleanser at the rear food prep area hand washing sink. Instructed to provide hand washing cleanser at all hand washing sinks at all times. Priority foundation. Citation consolidated with violations above 7-38-030(c).

     Official wording (code 10)

     Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible

   • CriticalHygiene & sanitation

     Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked with soap and towels.

     Inspector’s note: 5-203.11 observed no hand washing sink in the basement food prep/dish washing area. Instructed to provide an adequate hand washing sink with hot and cold running water and soap and paper towels in the basement food prep/dishwashing area. Priority foundation. Citation issued 7-38-030(c).

     Official wording (code 10)

     Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible

   • CriticalHygiene & sanitation

     Hand sinks were missing, blocked, or not stocked with soap and towels.

     Inspector’s note: 6-301.12 observed no hand drying provision inside the basement toilet room and the 1st floor rear prep area hand washing sink. Instructed to provide a hand drying provision such as papertowels at all hand washing sinks at all times. Priority foundation. Citation issued under violation above 7-38-030(c)

     Official wording (code 10)

     Adequate handwashing sinks properly supplied and accessible

   • CriticalFood temperature

     Cooked food wasn’t cooled quickly enough.

     Inspector’s note: 3-501.14 observed facility inadequate cooling tcs foods; observed about 30 lbs of cooked chicken being cooled at room temperature, scattered on prep tables in the basement food prep area. Temperatures of cooked chicken ranged from 85f-95f during the inspection. Instructed to discard and denature said tcs foods and always use proper cooling methods, such as an ice bath, to cool all tcs foods at all times adequately. Employee discarded said tcs foods during the inspection. Priority violation. Citation issued 7-38-005.

     Official wording (code 20)

     Proper cooling time and temperature

   • CriticalFacility upkeep

     Hot or cold water wasn’t available, or water pressure was too low.

     Inspector’s note: 5-103.11(b) observed inadequate hot water at all sinks throughout the facility. At the time of the inspection, hot water ranged from 71.6f-77.7f at all hand washing sinks in the food prep area and toilet room as well as at both 3 compartment sinks. Instructed to provide sufficient hot water at all times (110f at the 3-compartment sinks and 100f at the hand washing sinks). The plumber arrived during the inspection, and by the end of the inspection, all sinks were maintaining adequate hot water temperatures. Priority violation. Citation issue 7-38-030(c).

     Official wording (code 50)

     Hot & cold water available; adequate pressure

   • CriticalFacility upkeep

     Plumbing problems, or missing protection against backflow.

     Inspector’s note: 5-205.15 observed the 1st floor food prep area hand washing sink missing the p-trap and excessive water falling into a bucket when the hand washing sink is turned on. Instructed to repair. Priority violation. Citation issued 7-38-030(c).

     Official wording (code 51)

     Plumbing installed; proper backflow devices

   • GeneralFood handling

     Food wasn’t labeled or wasn’t in its original container.

     Inspector’s note: 3-302.12 observed containers of tamales inside of the walk-in cooler and bags of tamales inside of the freezers without labels containing the common name of the food. Instructed to provide.

     Official wording (code 37)

     Food properly labeled; original container

   • GeneralPests

     Insects, rodents, or animals were present, or the building wasn’t sealed against them.

     Inspector’s note: 6-501.111 observed no up-to-date pest control log book with a service report on site. Instructed to provide at all times. Priority foundation. Citation issued 7-38-020(c).

     Official wording (code 38)

     Insects, rodents, & animals not present

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Dishwashing equipment wasn’t set up, maintained, or used correctly.

     Inspector’s note: 4-603.15 observed clean-in-place equipment and pots too large to be submerged in the 3-compartment sinks to be properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized. Instructed to provide a written procedure on the washing, rinsing, and sanitizing of clean in-place equipment and large pots or remove clean in-place equipment and large pots or provide a larger 3-compartment sink.

     Official wording (code 48)

     Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Toilet rooms weren’t built, stocked, or cleaned properly.

     Inspector’s note: 5-501.17 observed no covered receptacle inside the employee's toilet room. Instructed to provide a covered receptacle.

     Official wording (code 53)

     Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied, & cleaned

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

     Inspector’s note: 6-201.11 observed concrete and uneven floors in the basement food prep/dishwashing area and the 1st floor food prep area. Instructed to make food prep/dishwashing area floor surfaces smooth, easily cleanable and non-absorbant.

     Official wording (code 55)

     Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Not all food employees had food-handler training.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.13 observed no proof of food handler training provided for all food handlers. Instructed to meet requirements.

     Official wording (code 57)

     All food employees have food handler training

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Required allergen training was missing.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.13 observed no allergen training certificate provided for city of chicago food service sanitation managers. Instructed to meet requirements.

     Official wording (code 58)

     Allergen training as required

3. Mar 29, 2023 Conditional

   License Re-Inspection · Pass w/ Conditions

   1 critical1 general2 paperwork Show violations

   • CriticalManagement & training

     Staff weren’t trained on, or didn’t follow, the rules for reporting illness.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.14(o) found no employee health policy on site. Instructed managers to provide a verifiable acknowledgement of their responsibility to report information about their health and activities to diseases that are transmissible through food to the pic. Priority foundation violation. 7-38-010.

     Official wording (code 3)

     Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Dishwashing equipment wasn’t set up, maintained, or used correctly.

     Inspector’s note: 4-603.15 found machine located in rear food prep area unable to be cleaned in 3 compartment sink. Instructed manager to provide a procedure to wash, rinse and sanitize said machine adequately.

     Official wording (code 48)

     Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Not all food employees had food-handler training.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.13 found no proof of food handler training. Instructed manager to provide proof of food handler training for all food handlers.

     Official wording (code 57)

     All food employees have food handler training

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Required allergen training was missing.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.13 found no proof of allergen training on site at inspection time. Instructed to provide allergen training for all city of chicago food service managers

     Official wording (code 58)

     Allergen training as required

4. Mar 27, 2023 Fail

   License Re-Inspection · Fail

   2 critical1 general2 paperwork Show violations

   • CriticalManagement & training

     Staff weren’t trained on, or didn’t follow, the rules for reporting illness.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.14(o) found no employee health policy on site. Instructed managers to provide a verifiable acknowledgement of their responsibility to report information about their health and activities to diseases that are transmissible through food to the pic. Priority foundation violation. 7-38-010.

     Official wording (code 3)

     Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting

   • CriticalFood handling

     Food wasn’t protected from contamination during prep, storage, or display.

     Inspector’s note: 3-306.11 found no barrier/ sneeze guard at the food prep table located in the front food preparation area. Instructed manager to provide barrier to prevent customer contamination. Priority violation 7-38-005

     Official wording (code 39)

     Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Dishwashing equipment wasn’t set up, maintained, or used correctly.

     Inspector’s note: 4-603.15 found machine located in rear food prep area unable to be cleaned in 3 compartment sink. Instructed manager to provide a procedure to wash, rinse and sanitize said machine adequately.

     Official wording (code 48)

     Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Not all food employees had food-handler training.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.13 found no proof of food handler training. Instructed manager to provide proof of food handler training for all food handlers.

     Official wording (code 57)

     All food employees have food handler training

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Required allergen training was missing.

     Inspector’s note: 2-102.13 found no proof of allergen training on site at the time of inspection. Instructed to provide allergen training for all city of chicago food service managers

     Official wording (code 58)

     Allergen training as required

5. Mar 20, 2023 Fail

   License · Fail

   2 critical5 general2 paperwork Show violations

   • CriticalManagement & training

     Staff weren’t trained on, or didn’t follow, the rules for reporting illness.

     Inspector’s note: Found no employee health policy on site. Instructed managers to provide a verifiable acknowledgement of their responsibility to report information about their health and activities to diseases that are transmissible through food to the pic. Priority foundation violation. 7-38-010. Citation issued.

     Official wording (code 3)

     Management, food employee and conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities and reporting

   • CriticalFood handling

     Food wasn’t protected from contamination during prep, storage, or display.

     Inspector’s note: Found no barrier from customers at the food prep table located in the front food preparation area. Instructed manager to provide barrier to prevent customer contamination. Priority violation 70-38-005

     Official wording (code 39)

     Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Dishwashing equipment wasn’t set up, maintained, or used correctly.

     Inspector’s note: Found machine located in rear food prep area unable to be cleaned in 3 compartment sink. Instructed manager to provide a procedure to wash, rinse and sanitize said machine adequately.

     Official wording (code 48)

     Warewashing facilities: installed, maintained & used; test strips

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Floors, walls, or ceilings were damaged or dirty.

     Inspector’s note: Found ceiling towels in front of food prep area broken.instructed manager to clean, sanitize and maintain.

     Official wording (code 55)

     Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Ventilation or lighting was inadequate.

     Inspector’s note: Found the ventilation hood fan missing a panel. Also noted no filters were installed. Instructed manager to repair and maintain. Exhaust ventilation hood systems in food preparation and warewashing areas, including components such as hoods, fans, guards, and ducting, shall be designed to prevent grease or condensation from draining or dripping onto food, equipment, utensils, linens, and single-service and single-use articles

     Official wording (code 56)

     Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Ventilation or lighting was inadequate.

     Inspector’s note: Found light bulbs in rear prep and front service are without shields. Instruct manager to provide.

     Official wording (code 56)

     Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used

   • GeneralFacility upkeep

     Ventilation or lighting was inadequate.

     Inspector’s note: Found vent located in unisex toilet room broken. Instructed manager to repair and maintain.

     Official wording (code 56)

     Adequate ventilation & lighting; designated areas used

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Not all food employees had food-handler training.

     Inspector’s note: Found no proof of food handler training. Instructed manager to provide proof of food handler training for all food handlers.

     Official wording (code 57)

     All food employees have food handler training

   • PaperworkManagement & training

     Required allergen training was missing.

     Inspector’s note: Found no proof of allergen training on site at the time of inspection. Instructed to provide allergen training for all city of chicago food service managers

     Official wording (code 58)

     Allergen training as required

6. Mar 14, 2023 No Entry

   License · No Entry

   No violations