Albuquerque closes five food businesses after finding mice and broken equipment

Albuquerque Environmental Health inspectors red-tagged five food establishments during the week of October 18, closing three of them immediately due to imminent health hazards. The city issued the citations in its latest weekly report, which also graded 25 businesses green and six yellow. The red tags indicate that facilities failed to maintain sanitary conditions or lacked necessary certifications, forcing owners to halt operations until they corrected specific violations.

The most severe closure involved a Circle K convenience store at 1401 Coors NW, where inspectors found a mouse infestation. On October 19, the store was closed after staff discovered mice chewing through candy items on the sales floor. Droppings were located under shelving and inside boxes in the backroom near the sinks. A 12-by-12 inch hole in the hallway wall contained chewed insulation, and the front double doors failed to seal tightly, allowing light to pass through the edges. The store passed a follow-up inspection on October 22 after completing repairs.

Marielena’s Bakery at 640 Coors NW received a red tag on October 21 and was ordered to close. The facility was in disrepair, with holes in the walls, ceiling, and floors. Inspectors found live and dead cockroaches, rodents, flies, and mouse droppings throughout the building. The three-compartment sink faucet was removed, leaving only a spray nozzle for use. The bakery was operating with an expired permit and had no chlorine sanitizing solution available while loading racks of cooked pastries. The establishment has not yet passed a re-inspection as of the report date.

Sushi Xuan at 417 Tramway NE was closed on October 21 after inspectors found a toxic degreaser stored next to tempura-battered meat. The store’s employees lacked valid food handler cards, and several ready-to-eat foods, including tempura chicken, were missing required date markings. Raw squid and meat scraps were stored above ready-to-eat items in the cooler. Hot water was turned off at the kitchen handwashing sink, and fish intended for raw consumption lacked parasite destruction documentation. The restaurant remained closed pending a satisfactory re-inspection on the same day.

Whole Hog Cafe at 9880 Montgomery NE was graded unsatisfactory on October 20. A prep cook touched raw beef with the same gloves used to cut raw chicken. Cheese sauce was left covered at room temperature, and chlorine sanitizer at the front counter tested at 200 parts per million, exceeding the maximum permitted concentration. Hot water was unavailable at both handwashing sinks. The cafe passed a follow-up inspection later that same day.

Madcrema at 1108 Broadway NE was conditionally approved on October 20 after failing a chlorine sanitizer test, which registered at 0 PPM. The coffee shop had over 10 dead cockroaches in traps and an unapproved pesticide stored in the dish pit. Food employees lacked proper hair restraints and failed to wash their hands after switching tasks. The facility was approved to continue operating after addressing these issues immediately.

The weekly report also listed 25 businesses that received green grades, including Blake’s Lotaburger, Golden Corral, and IHOP. Six businesses received yellow grades, meaning they can operate but must follow a correction plan. These included Ichiban Japanese Restaurant, Unser Bakery, and The Watermark at Cherry Hills. The city posts full inspection summaries on its environmental health website for public review.