"I think it was miscommunication."
Miscommunication is what El Steak Burrito owner Abelino Garcia blames for his restaurant's recent closure.
The eatery on Spring Mountain between Arville and Decatur Boulevard got 41 demerits on its May 15 health inspection.
There was also an imminent health hazard--sewage backing up out of a floor drain.
"And you guys know when there's a back-up like that you have to close down yourself?" Darcy Spears asked.
"Absolutely, I know, I know, absolutely," Garcia answered.
But El Steak Burrito didn't shut down on its own. Health inspectors forced the closure while documenting other violations like unwashed avocado being sliced for an order and cooked pork and cabbage at unsafe temperatures.
A food handler touched ready to eat food with bare hands and chicken was thawing on a dirty drain board next to someone actively washing dirty dishes.
"And they also mentioned a history of downgrades that required an intervention," said Spears. "What was going on with that?"
"The same situation with training and we focus on that and we're doing better now," Garcia said.
El Steak Burrito re-opened May 18 with an 8-demerit A grade.
