Health Department Closes a Mexican Restaurant and 7-Eleven Snack Shop

The Southern Nevada Health District closed Rincon Catracho, the Mexican restaurant at 4110 Maryland Pkwy., after finding inadequate hand washing facilities during a routine inspection on Sept. 11. Inspectors discovered that the restaurant removed the only hand sink in the kitchen, another sink had no soap, and the women’s restroom had no hot water.

Inspectors also docked the restaurant with 33 demerits for expired tamales, plantains, and chicharron; pink slime and black mold in the ice machine; and rodent droppings in the corner of the service area. The restaurant reopened on Sept. 13 with an eight-demerit A grade.

The health department previously closed the restaurant last November with 52 demerits.

The health department also closed the snack shop at the 7-Eleven at 1601 W. Oakey Blvd. on Sept. 11 for gross, unsanitary conditions. Inspectors found the convenience store preparing and storing food in an area of active construction. Other demerits were issued for dead flies in a freezer, base coving gnawed by rodents, and floor sinks filled with black mold and trash. It was back to a six-demerit A grade on Sept. 13.

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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