Health Department Closes Five Restaurants

The Southern Nevada Health District shut down Little Dumpling at 6430 Sky Pointe Drive after a customer complained about cockroaches in the dining room on Sept. 27. Inspectors found multi-generational, multi-species cockroaches in the kitchen as well and closed the restaurant for the imminent health hazard. Other violations included a buildup of old food and grease In the kitchen and dining room, and dirty woks, walls, and ceilings, as well as old food on a can opener blade, peanut spoon, and cutting board. The inspection also revealed spider webs in the refrigeration units and dry storage shelves. The restaurant stored crispy wontons and fried chicken in grocery store plastic bags and mixed used bamboo skewers with new ones. Mold was found in the ice machine, while food in the fridge was left uncovered and subject to contamination. The restaurant returned to a zero-demerit A grade on Sept. 30. The health department previously closed the restaurant in 2005.

Kabob Kitchen Mediterranean Grill at 10040 W. Cheyenne Ave. came within two points of being shut down by the health department after a routine inspection on Sept. 26. The 39-demerit inspection revealed ingredients such as sour cream, hummus, and cut greens held at dangerous temperatures, grilled chicken cut with bare hands, undercooked chicken tenders for kabobs, trash bags covering chicken and beef in the cooler, and excessively dirty can openers and floors. The restaurant still has a C grade.

The health department issued Quality Seafood at 6040 Flamingo Road 40 demerits, one point away from shut down, after a customer complained that the store was selling live seafood and vegetables from unbranded boxes unloaded from a van on Sept. 26. Those seven cases contained about 175 live frogs, almost 60 sea urchins, and other boxes of squash and dragonfruit. Inspectors found an unsanitary warehouse that did not have a permit used to store and prepare seafood. Fish stored in the freezers was thrown away, while an ice chest housed live eels. Dirty items included cutting boards, knives, and tongs, as well as handles, covers, panels, and equipment doors, while the space included a rusty prep table and ice bin. Flies in the market and standing water and food debris on the floors contributed to the violations. Quality Seafood still has a C grade.

The health department shut down Food Mart Snack Bar at 770 E. Horizon Drive in Henderson after a customer complained about no hot water. The imminent health hazard closed the space on Sept. 24. Inspectors found pest control spray sitting next to open containers of ice cream and multiple crickets in the back room. It re-opened the same day with a three-demerit A grade.

One of the Pachuca Hidalgo food trucks was shut down by the health department after inspectors found it had no hand-washing facilities on Sept. 23. Aside from the broken sink, inspectors found al pastor and chicharrón held at unsafe temperatures. It returned to a zero-demerit A grade on Sept. 25.

The health department closed Sammy’s Doghouse, perhaps better known as Sammy’s L.A. Pastrami & Burgers at 2191 E. Tropicana Ave., after the restaurant failed a re-inspection on Sept. 26. Inspectors issued the restaurant a 31-demerit C grade on Aug. 28. During the re-inspection, the health department found cockroaches, expired food such as 11-day old cooked pulled pork and chipotle chili sauce, as well as 10-day old buttermilk ranch prepared in house. The restaurant had water dripping on loosely covered food, mold in the water tray and ice tray, and food debris in the freezers and on the floor. The restaurant remains closed. The health department closed the restaurant in 2015 as well.

The health department closed Maddy’s Paddys, the restaurant inside Poker Palace at 2757 Las Vegas Blvd. N., Sept. 28 for an imminent health hazard, no hot water. The restaurant reopened on Oct. 1 with a three-demerit A grade.

The health district conducts unannounced inspections at least once a year. Inspections are posted online about five days after the inspection. The Southern Nevada Health District routinely shuts down restaurants that receive more than 40 demerits. Restaurants have the option of requesting a re-inspection before the next scheduled inspection.

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