Cockroaches, moldy food and dirty equipment are never good sights to see in a kitchen. And they are just some of the more obvious issues health inspectors look for.
Every month, inspectors from the Maricopa County Environmental Services department visit Valley restaurants unannounced, ready to check the front and back of house for issues that are both obvious and harder to find.
They compile inspection reports, which are published online in a searchable database. And they rate restaurants on a two-tier scale. Foundation violations are issues that could cause a larger problem, such as a lack of paper towels could lead to improper hand washing. Priority violations are more serious issues that pose a direct threat to the health and safety of customers and staff…