Premises Information


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Name

MEZCALI MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Address

14212 STATESVILLE RD

City/State/ZIP

HUNTERSVILLE

28078

Premise Type

1 - Restaurant

County

Mecklenburg

Inspection Date

8/7/2026

Final Score @ Grade

92.50

General Comments

Observed food in the oven at 135 F, however the oven was off. Keep the oven on so that the temperature of the food can be maintained at or above 135 F. The oven was turned on by the PIC and temperature control was maintained. Establishment has partial consumer advisory on the menu. Per the PIC this is just a precaution and items are not offered undercooked. Cocteles and ceviches do not contain under cooked or raw proteins per the PIC. Recommend removing the partial consumer advisory from the menu.

Violations

CDI=Corrected During Inspection

R=Repeat Violation

VR=Verification Required

Violation Item	Demerits	Violation Description	CDI	R	VR	Comments
3	0	Management, food & conditional employee; knowledge, responsibilities & reporting	Yes	No	No	2-103.11(O) Ensure food employees are informed of their responsibility to report required symptoms, illnesses and exposure.-PF EHS unable to verify kitchen staff knowledge due to language barrier. PIC does not have proof of employee health training. CDI, provided updated Employee Health Policy to PIC, PIC provided training, and all staff signed the proof of training document by the end of the inspection. Ensure staff are aware and trained on Employee Health standards. For more information on employee health policy, please visit: www.mecknc.gov/foodsafety
10	0	Handwashing sinks supplied & accessible	No	No	No	6-301.14 Post a handwash sign at each handsink. Observed handwashing sign at sink next to oven no longer readable. Replace the damaged sign.
15	1.50	Food separated & protected	Yes	Yes	No	3-302.11(A)(1) Separate raw animal foods from ready-to-eat foods and washed/unwashed fruits and vegetables. -P Observed raw chicken stored above a container of cut onions in the walk in refrigerator. Observed improvement from last inspection, points not escalated due to just one item out of compliance. For more information on food storage order please visit: https://health.mecknc.gov/envhealth/food-and-facilities-sanitation
16	1.50	Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized	Yes	Yes	No	4-601.11(A) Equipment food contact surfaces and utensils shall be clean to sight and touch. -Pf. Observed can opener blade with a lot of residue. CDI, item moved to dish area for cleaning. Ensure food contact surfaces of equipment are cleaned and sanitized more often. For more information, please visit: https://health.mecknc.gov/envhealth/food-and-facilities-sanitation or view our training videos at the following weblinks: Sanitizing Solutions - https://youtu.be/ykP2mr9CtRg , How to Test Sanitizer https://youtu.be/y0SjmnabFaY , and Cleaning and Sanitizing Food Contact Surfaces https://youtu.be/av1Rbh-lh08 .
20	1.50	Proper cooling time & temperatures	No	No	Yes	3-501.14(B) Quickly cool TCS foods that are prepared from room temperature ingredients. Food must be to 41F within 4 hours. -P. Observed multiple items prepared this morning cooling in the double door kitchen refrigerator. Observed lettuce prepared 4 hours ago at 53 F, observed multiple salsa products at 44 F prepared this morning not below 41 F after 4 hours. Items did not achieve 41 F during the 4 hours window. CDI, items discarded. For more information, please visit: www.meckncgov/foodsafety or view our training videos at the following weblinks: What are TCS Foods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0iLZb7v0UM and Cooling Food Safely https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6x8b1ZVOxU .
22	1.50	Proper cold holding temperatures	Yes	No	No	3-501.16(A)(2) Maintain TCS foods in cold holding at 41F or less. -P. Observed several food items in the walk in refrigerator above 41 F. The food items ranged from 43 - 45 F. Items included salsa, raw chicken, beef, chicken stock, etc. Ambient temperature of the walk in was 48 F. CDI, Establishment did not have record of how long the products had been out of temperature. Products discarded except for raw chicken and beef which was at 45 F. PIC contact his refrigerator contractor and they arrived within 15 minutes. Unit was repaired and began operating under approved parameters. Recommend moving beer and uncut product to the shelves next to the door and all prepared and raw protein products to the rear of the refrigerator. Also recommend installing a plastic walk in refrigerator curtain at the door so that hot air does not rush into the unit. Ambient temperature of unit raised to the high 50’s F when the door was opened. For more information, please visit: www.mecknc.gov/foodsafety or view our training videos at the following weblinks: What are TCS Foods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0iLZb7v0UM and Safe Food Temperatures https://youtu.be/tXP09IK-1TQ .
33	0.50	Proper cooling methods used; adequate equipment for temperature control	No	No	Yes	3-501.15 Quickly cool foods. Use methods such as open/vented shallow pans, large ice baths and active stirring. Cold air must flow around product to remove the heat. -Pf Observed cut tomato and lettuce cooling in covered containers. Ensure items that are prepared and then cooled are not covered during the cooling process. For more information, please visit: https://health.mecknc.gov/envhealth/food-and-facilities-sanitation or view our training videos at the following weblinks: What are TCS Foods https://youtu.be/bRvqAETDjQU and Cooling Food Safely https://youtu.be/P6x8b1ZVOxU .
43	0	In-use utensils: properly stored	Yes	No	No	3-304.12 (B) In-use utensils in non-TCS food, must be stored with handles above the food and top of the food container. Observed bowls with no handles in the flour and salt containers. Provide scoops with handles so that the handles can be stored out of the food. CDI, bowls removed from the product. 3-304.12 (C ) Store in-use utensils on a clean portion of the food preparation table or cooking equipment. The utensils and storage surface must be cleaned and sanitized every 4 hours. Observed cutting knives stored so that they were in a crack between a table and the wall. This is not an approved location. CDI Knives cleaned and then relocated.
44	0	Utensils, equipment & linens: properly stored, dried & handled	No	No	No	4-903.11 (B) After cleaning and sanitizing, clean equipment and utensils shall be stored in a self-draining position that allows air drying and covered or inverted. Observed pans stored wet stacked together on the drying shelf. Do not stack the pans together until they are dry.
47	1	Equipment, food & non-food contact surfaces approved, cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used	No	Yes	No	4-501.12 Resurface or replace cutting surfaces that can no longer be effectively cleaned and sanitized. Observed cutting board at flip top cooler with deep gouging and staining. Observed small cutting boards with in need of resurfacing or replacing as well. Keep cutting boards in good repair.
49	0	Non-food contact surfaces clean	No	No	No	4-601.11(C ) Keep non food contact surfaces of equipment clean to avoid build up of dust, food residue or debris.4-602.13 Non food contact surfaces of equipment shall be cleaned frequently to preclude accumulation of soil residues. Observed containers used for storing utensils with food debris. Keep the containers clean.
56	0	Meets ventilation & lighting requirements; designated areas used	No	No	No	6-303.11 Provide required lighting intensity. Observed lighting in walk in refrigerator below 10 foot candles. Observed lighting in the kitchen below 50 foot candles on work surfaces. Replace any missing bulbs, install brighter bulbs in these areas.