Meat market owner won't talk about improvements or violations

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — In this week’s Food 4 Thought, a Top Performer is getting a new sticker and their menu is getting a revamp for the fall.

We showed up to surprise the team, but the Food Patrol came across a whole photoshoot!

On the other hand, a meat market with some issues was at an impasse with the Food Patrol's arrival.

Here’s what que rico and what’s que asco in this week’s Food 4 Thought!

The Food Patrol is surprising the team of El Divino located at 5001 North 10th Street in McAllen.

El Divino has a 2014 Top Performer sticker, and it is time to award them a fresh new ¡Que Rico! sticker because they aced their July 16 inspection report.

Daniel Caceres has been bartending at El Divino for three years and started serving ten years ago.

"Honestly, you just got to want it like you just got to want it. You got to put in the effort and don't let anybody keep you quiet in that endeavor to go out and be better," Caceres said.

The bar business is family, and Daniel had to learn the business fast.

“My dad was a bartender, my stepdad was a bartender. I started to learn really, young, like, about spirits, alcohol, overall, different flavor profiles. I just so happened to be having my first kid when I was 18. Needed a job, and I was going to school at the same time. Ended up doing both, and it gave me the opportunity to let my wife stay at home," said Caceres.

The love for the business keeps him coming back late night after late night, earning a Top Performer sticker, which is a proud moment for the father of two kids.

The ambiance, food, and commitment to keeping clean.

That’s que rico!

But it’s que asco time!

The Food Patrol is heading to La Parrilla Meat Market, located at 228 North Ware Road in McAllen.

They have had three recent inspection reports. The one taken on July 10 had 35 violations.

(La Parilla Inspection Report)

The inspector observed the following:

• Off-temperature meat in the freezer, which needed to be thrown away
• Food is not properly protected or stored.
• Staff is "not knowledgeable and not certified."
• No stocked handwashing stations
• Wood is not allowed because it can hold bacteria; the inspector noted “wooden steps in the butcher shop covered in blood.”
• Dried blood in the freezer, along with heavy grease
• The only toilet is not working

La parrilla was inspected the next day, on July 11, and the inspector found 14 violations along with the following improvements:

(La Parilla Inspection Report)

• They cleared out all the product in the cooler and freezer
• Items that are in the kitchen are covered
• Staff are “working on their classes.”
• The bloody wood steps are gone
• The toilet is working
  

On July 16, the inspection reported zero violations, but there were notes to keep the establishment clean.

(La Parilla Inspection Report)

It has been over two months since the July inspections.

The Food Patrol stopped by to see if the other violations have been corrected since enough time has passed.

The owner was not there, but the Food Patrol spoke to him on the phone.

The owner did not want to talk as long as the cameras were rolling, and the Food Patrol does not turn off the camera.

(The Food Patrol/ValleyCentral)

The Food Patrol asked him to call back at some point.

However, the Food Patrol did not receive an email, text, or phone call from the owner.

And that’s Food 4 Thought.

¡Que Rico!

¡Qué asco!

Remember that you are a part of the food patrol.

If you see something que asco or gross, take a video, a picture, and send it to your local health department. Send it over to the Food Patrol at News@KVEO.COM.

A message to all the restaurants is that the food patrol is always watching.