Italian Restaurant Comes Close to Health Department Shutdown

Giovanni’s Hole in the Wall, the Italian restaurant at 8125 W. Sahara Ave., came within two points of being shut down by the Southern Nevada Health District after a routine inspection on April 24.

Inspectors found moldy peppers, expired meatballs, outdated ricotta cheese, a cutting board set up on top of a trash can, a dirty slicer, and utensils sitting in dirty, stagnant water during the 39-demerit inspection, according to KTNV.

The television station reports that the restaurant earned two C grades in one month, putting it on the health department’s ”administrative process and will be subject to increased inspections and onsite intervention training.” On March 27, the restaurant earned a 29-demerit C grade.

The health department shut down Thai D To Go at 860 E. Twain on April 26 for a multi-generational, multi-species cockroach infestation that included more than 50 roaches. Other demerits came from dirty utensils, mold in the ice machine, a dirty kitchen, expired half and half, and more. Inspectors immediately closed the restaurant and made staff go through intervention training since this marked the second consecutive shutdown of the restaurant. In July 2018, the health department closed the restaurant after a 42-demerit C grade inspection. The restaurant reopened on May 6 with a 3-demerit A grade.

The health department closed Angry Blasian, the Korean comfort food restaurant at 719 N. Nellis Blvd., on April 23 for a lack of refrigeration. Inspectors also found no sanitizer in the kitchen and soiled towels. The restaurant still has not reopened.

The health department also closed China Dragon at 5905 Eastern Ave. on April 24 after finding two imminent health hazards — no water and gross, unsanitary conditions. KTNV reports “heavy grease build-up on and underneath equipment, dried food spatter all over buckets of sauce, and food debris and grease on floors.” The restaurant reopened on April 25 with a 3-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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