K-Bob's closes, reopens after handling code violations

Staff report

The K-Bob’s restaurant in Tucumcari voluntarily shut down Wednesday after a health inspection found a number of code violations.

Officials said the store was reopened 4 p.m Friday.

Megan Hatterman, the restaurant manager, said the restaurant closed down to make repairs on the restaurant’s refrigeration system in order to protect customer health.

“Our top priority is protecting our customers’ health and safety,” Hatterman said, so the restaurant shut down for repairs.

According to inspection records received through the state Inspection of Public Records Act, the inspection showed violations that included:

• bare-handed handling of ready-to-eat foods by employees, which was corrected;

• wiping cloth left on counter, which was corrected;

• leaky faucets with dirty rags tied around them, one a three-compartment sink, which was corrected;

• three-drawer prep cooler not working; the restaurant was using ice baths for raw meat and seafood;

• multiple items in walk-in cooler were not as cold as regulations require; all items out of temperature were disposed of, including about 90 pounds of beef, chicken and seafood;

• employee bathroom door was not self-closing;

• large hole in dry storage wall;

• oil droplets forming in hood over main grill;

The inspection record also shows the restaurant would not be allowed to open until the walk-in cooler had been repaired and could hold temperatures below 41 degrees.