Pacho’s Mexican Grill management feels it has already recovered from the failing health score it received during a Jan. 9 inspection.

The Mexican eatery located on Hwy. 278, earned a score of 56 with nine-point violations for being out of compliance on proper hot holding temperature, adequate hand washing facilities supplied and accessible and proper eating, tasting, drinking or tobacco use by employee. Multiple high-point violations led to the low score, rather than larger more egregious violations.

According to the health inspector’s report there were “two pans of cooked shredded chicken, three containers of roasted salsa and five pans of cheeses sauce above 41 degrees for more than six hours.”

Pacho’s manager Tony Rosas said the pan of chicken was covered when being brought down to temperature, causing it to be in the refrigerator at a higher temperature than the prescribed below 41 degrees.

“When we put it in the cooler it was covered up so it was still above temperature it was inside refrigerator,” Rosas said. “The refrigerator is not a method of cooling but to maintain cooling.”

Rossa said the other big violation occurred due to the use of one of the three-compartment sink’s compartments being used for washing. Typically restaurant three-compartment sinks are for washing, rinsing and sanitization. Pacho’s has a mechanical dishwasher, so it uses the dishwasher as a secondary washing source for the sink, and therefore uses one of the sink’s compartments for ice disposal. That caused another nine-point violation.

The other nine-point violation fixed on the spot, was an employee drinking a beverage next to a hot food table.

Rosas said other violations included a Hi-c syrup pouch being outdated, due to the fact that the restaurant doesn’t use it and failed to send it back to the supplier, and lack of splash guards on a sink.

He said he is looking for a local welder to install the splash guard.

Due to the failing score, a follow up inspection is required within 10 days, and Pacho’s should have an updated score posted soon. Pacho’s previous two health scores were an 85 on April 23 and a 93 on Dec. 4, 2013.

“A lot of the violations were corrected at the moment,” Rosas said.