La Estrella is currently Pass w/ Conditions from Chicago Department of Public Health, from an inspection on April 18, 2012. Inspectors wrote up 1 critical violation β the kind most directly linked to foodborne illness. On Cooked's ladder that reads mid π¬.
What did inspectors find at La Estrella?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on April 18, 2012, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
πΏwater/temperature at the sink offcritical
Water Source: Safe, Hot & Cold Under City Pressure β’ All food establishments shall be provided with an adequate supply of hot and cold water under pressure properly connected to the city water supply.NO HOT WATER ON SITE AT TIME OF INSPECTION. HOT WATER TANK ON LOW TEMP NOT ALLOWING FOR HOT WATER. TANK WAS ADJUSTED. HOT WATER NOW ON SITE.CITICAL VIOLATION 7-38-030 CITATION ISSUEDNO HOT WATER ON SITE.
β οΈOutside Garbage Waste Grease And Storage Area; Clean, Rodent Proof, All Containers Covered β’ The area outside of the establishment used for the storage of garbage shall be clean at all times and shall not constitute a nuisance. OUTSIDE GARBAGE AREA NOT MAINTAINED. CONTAINERS OPEN WITH DEBRIS ON GROUND. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES. AREA WAS CLEANED AT END OF INSPECTION.
Outside Garbage Waste Grease And Storage Area; Clean, Rodent Proof, All Containers Covered β’ The area outside of the establishment used for the storage of garbage shall be clean at all times and shall not constitute a nuisance. OUTSIDE GARBAGE AREA NOT MAINTAINED. CONTAINERS OPEN WITH DEBRIS ON GROUND. INSTRUCTED MANAGER TO CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES. AREA WAS CLEANED AT END OF INSPECTION.
β οΈFood And Non-Food Contact Surfaces Properly Designed, Constructed And Maintained β’ All food and non-food contact equipment and utensils shall be smooth, easily cleanable, and durable, and shall be in good repair. CUTTING BOARDS IN PRODUCE AREA IN NEED OF REPLACING. WORN, DISCOLORED. MUST REPLACE AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
Food And Non-Food Contact Surfaces Properly Designed, Constructed And Maintained β’ All food and non-food contact equipment and utensils shall be smooth, easily cleanable, and durable, and shall be in good repair. CUTTING BOARDS IN PRODUCE AREA IN NEED OF REPLACING. WORN, DISCOLORED. MUST REPLACE AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
π§«food prep surfaces dirty
Food And Non-Food Contact Equipment Utensils Clean, Free Of Abrasive Detergents β’ All food and non-food contact surfaces of equipment and all food storage utensils shall be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized daily. All utensils shall be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after each usage. THE FOLLOWING IN NEED OF CLEANING: INTERIOR OF ALL WALK IN COOLERS, AND REACH IN COOLERS. SHELVES IN NEED OF CLESNING TO REMOVE ALL BUIULD UP. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
β οΈFloors: Constructed Per Code, Cleaned, Good Repair, Coving Installed, Dust-Less Cleaning Methods Used β’ The floors shall be constructed per code, be smooth and easily cleaned, and be kept clean and in good repair. FLOORS THROUGHOUT BACKROOM AND BASEMENT IN NEED OF CLEANING TO REMOVE ALL BUILD AND DEBRIS. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
Floors: Constructed Per Code, Cleaned, Good Repair, Coving Installed, Dust-Less Cleaning Methods Used β’ The floors shall be constructed per code, be smooth and easily cleaned, and be kept clean and in good repair. FLOORS THROUGHOUT BACKROOM AND BASEMENT IN NEED OF CLEANING TO REMOVE ALL BUILD AND DEBRIS. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
β οΈWalls, Ceilings, Attached Equipment Constructed Per Code: Good Repair, Surfaces Clean And Dust-Less Cleaning Methods β’ The walls and ceilings shall be in good repair and easily cleaned. Use dustless cleaning methods. WALLS IN REAR AREA IN NEED OF CLEANING TO REMOVE ALL DEBRIS. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
Walls, Ceilings, Attached Equipment Constructed Per Code: Good Repair, Surfaces Clean And Dust-Less Cleaning Methods β’ The walls and ceilings shall be in good repair and easily cleaned. Use dustless cleaning methods. WALLS IN REAR AREA IN NEED OF CLEANING TO REMOVE ALL DEBRIS. MUST CLEAN AND MAINTAIN AT ALL TIMES.
π§»grimy wiping cloths
Premises Maintained Free Of Litter, Unnecessary Articles, Cleaning Equipment Properly Stored β’ All parts of the food establishment and all parts of the property used in connection with the operation of the establishment shall be kept neat and clean and should not produce any offensive odors. Cleaning equipment shall be properly stored away from food, utensils, equipment, and clean linens. ALL UNUSED EQUIPMENT MUST BE ORGANIZED AND KEPT IN ORDER. MUST CORRECT AND MAINTAIN.
When was La Estrella last inspected?
La Estrella has 8 inspections on record going back to June 3, 2010.
date
result
score
June 11, 2013
closed by the city
April 18, 2012
Pass w/ Conditions
September 20, 2011
Pass
September 13, 2011
Fail
March 14, 2011
Pass
February 23, 2011
Pass
February 16, 2011
Fail
June 3, 2010
Pass
La Estrella vs West Lawn
West Lawn runs 70% clean across 359 tracked restaurants β 249 clean, 60 mid, 47 cooked.
Against the 359 spots Cooked tracks in West Lawn, this one comes out cleaner than 22% of them.
Chicago does not use letter grades. Every inspection ends in one of three official results: Pass, Pass with Conditions, or Fail. Pass with Conditions means violations were found but corrected on the spot or under a deadline β the restaurant is open, with homework. A Fail means serious violations went uncorrected, and it usually brings a re-inspection within days. Chicago also flags βpriorityβ violations, the ones most likely to actually make someone sick. Cooked reads Pass as clean, Pass with Conditions as mid, and Fail as cooked, and shows the itemized violations behind each result.
Source: Chicago Department of Public Health via Chicago Data Portal. Cooked refreshes this data daily β this listing's most recent inspection is dated April 18, 2012. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.