Select your filters and click the Search button to search for data, or click Clear to clear all filters
 
Logo Main Menu
Lenoir County Health Dept
Public Health Inspections
Select your filters and click the Search button to search for data, or click Clear to clear all filters
 
  
 

Premises Information

Return to Inspections
NameEL NUEVO TEQUILA MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Address1030-A W. NEW BERN RD.
 
City/State/ZIP
KINSTON NC 28504
Premise Type1 - Restaurant
CountyLenoir
Inspection Date 5/11/2026
Final Score @ Grade
93 A
General Comments

Violations

 
CDI=Corrected During Inspection  R=Repeat Violation  VR=Verification Required 
Violation Item Demerits Violation Description CDIRVRComments
10 1 Handwashing sinks supplied & accessible Yes Yes No 6-301.14 Post a handwash sign at each handsink. Employee bathroom and handwash sinks in kitchen missing handwash sign. CDI: sign provided following inspection.
14 1 Required records available: shellstock tags, parasite destruction No No No 3-203.12 Retain tag on the bag of shellstock until empty. Record date on the tag when the last shellstock from the container is used. Store tags in chronological order for 90 days. -Pf Oysters stored without tags. A tag was found but unable to determine for certain if that tag corresponded with that bag. Discussed the importance of maintaining this to PIC. This has been discussed with this establishment multiple times.
15 1.50 Food separated & protected No No No 3-302.11 (A)(2) Separate types of raw animal foods from each other such as beef, fish, lamb, pork, and poultry during storage, preparation, holding, and display. -P. Raw meats all mixed in together at the back left side of WIC. REHS explained proper storage order with PIC. Food was rearranged to proper storage conditions.
16 0 Food-contact surfaces: cleaned & sanitized Yes No No 4-601.11(A) Equipment food contact surfaces and utensils shall be clean to sight and touch. -Pf. Observed several pans visibly soiled. CDI: items taken back to the dish washer for additional cleaning.
23 0 Proper date marking & disposition Yes No No 3-501.17 Date mark/label all TCS foods that are ready-to-eat once opened or prepared and held more than 24hrs. -Pf Items prepped yesterday in WIC and salsa cooler missing date mark. CDI: date mark labels added. 3-501.18 Discard the food requiring date labels once time/temperature window has expired, if it is not been labeled, or if the label is incorrect. -P One row, in back left side of WIC, of items that had a discard date of 5/9. CDI: items were discarded.
33 0 Proper cooling methods used; adequate equipment for temperature control No No No 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 Lots of food items in the walk in cooler and cooling drawers in tightly packed and full containers. Tightly packing food in these containers will not allow the food to properly cool down. This was discussed with PIC. Beans temping at 43 from being cooked yesterday.
37 0 Food properly labeled: original container Yes No No 3-302.12 Label all working containers of food (oils, spices, salts, flour, sugar) except food that is easy to identify such as dry pasta. No sauces observed in kitchen today with label. CDI: PIC added label to sauces.
39 1 Contamination prevented during food preparation, storage & display No No No 3-305.14 Unpackaged food shall be protected from contamination during preparation. Many items missing lids and stilling uncovered throughout the kitchen. This needs additional work to ensure items are properly covered to prevent contamination from occuring in WIC and lifttops. 3-305.11 Store food in a clean, dry location, not exposed to contamination. Keep at least 6 inches above the floor. A large pot of salsa sitting on floor of WIC.
43 0 In-use utensils: properly stored Yes No No 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. Cooking utensils stored under the grill area. Ice scoops resting on soda machine grates. Utensils shall be kept in a clean location. CDI: items taken back to dish machine for additional cleaning.
44 0 Utensils, equipment & linens: properly stored, dried & handled No No No 4-901.11(A) Air dry equipment and utensils after cleaning and sanitizing. Observed pans and dishes stacked wet.
45 0 Single-use & single-service articles: properly stored & used Yes No No 4-903.11(A)(C) Store single-use and single-service articles in a clean, dry location; where they are not exposed to splash, dust, or other contamination; and at least 6 inches above the floor. Open and soiled single service items in kitchen under shelf. CDI: soiled items were discarded.
47 0.50 Equipment, food & non-food contact surfaces approved, cleanable, properly designed, constructed & used No Yes No 4-501.11 Maintain equipment in good repair. Some gaskets at the cooling drawers and lifttop across from dish machine are torn.
49 0.50 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 heavy build up on gaskets through out facility, on shelving units, sinks, on outside of equipment, etc. Establishment shall thoroughly clean.
53 0.50 Toilet facilities: properly constructed, supplied & cleaned No Yes No 6-501.18 Maintain handwashing sinks, toilets and urinals clean. Handwashing sinks throughout establishment need additional cleaning. 6-501.19 Closing Toilet Room Doors (C) Employee bathroom door open during inspection. Bathroom doors shall be self closing to prevent contamination.
54 0 Garbage & refuse properly disposed; facilities maintained No No No 5-501.116 Cleaning Receptacles (C) Dumpster sides are very visibly soiled and required extra cleaning.
55 1 Physical facilities installed, maintained & clean No Yes No 6-501.11 & 6-501.12 Floors, walls, and ceilings including the attachments such as soap and towel dispensers; light fixtures; and heat/ac vents shall be maintained in good repair and shall be clean. Caution should be used to minimize food exposure. Observed damage to wall at corner of dish machine coming into kitchen, holes in wall of salsa room, and damage to wall in storage room from pots and pans. Mold building up on wall outside walk in. Ceiling tiles in dry storage showing water damage. Light switches attached to wall visibly soiled. Physical facilities shall remain in good repair and kept clean. 6-501.16 Store mops for air drying after use. Mops sitting at the bottom of the mop sink. Although they are stored with the head down, they are not hanging so they cannot properly air dry.