LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — "When you see a line of people, it must be good, right? Then when you see channel 13, not so good!"
That was customer Lauraine Gladstone's reaction when she realized a 13 Action News camera crew was at Mimosas Gourmet for Dirty Dining.
The brunch restaurant on Durango Drive and Spring Mountain Road was first featured in July in that Dirty Dining report, but that didn't seem to affect the dining crowd, as 13 Action News saw groups of people waiting outside and apparently packed inside in seeming violation of the state's 50% capacity cap and social distancing rules.
India Express, Mimosas Gourmet and Siri Thai all land on Dirty Dining
Lauraine and her family went to Mimosas Gourmet to celebrate her daughter's birthday, but they changed their mind after seeing the crowd and our camera.
"I was surprised when I came up that it was so many people. I'm leaving! I've seen Dirty Dining. There's no way I would stay if I hear you tell me they've got 39 demerits," Lauraine told Darcy Spears.
Despite the pandemic, when customers are counting on heightened safety and sanitation, Mimosas Gourmet has gotten consecutive "C" downgrades on routine inspections.
It's second helping of Dirty Dining is a 39-demerit C grade on its Sept. 21 inspection.
That makes Lauraine feel "That they don't care. That they're not prepared to serve the public. And they're not willing to -- they've got to be willing to change their way of doing things."
During the inspection, the kitchen trash can was filled up nearly to the top with all the compromised food that had to be thrown out.
The expired crab mix was ten days old.
Four large bins of cooked potato and some chorizo also were trashed due to improper cooling.
Gravy, mozzarella cheese, corn beef, sliced ham, french fries, whipped butter, pancake batter, and french toast egg mix were also thrown out due to unsafe temperatures.
And the make table holding much of that food was red-tagged.
Other violations included a dirty knife and vegetable slicer that were stored as clean, cooked fries sitting below a corroded condenser line, and heavy grease and old food on the floor and around the deep fryers, the grill, and washing equipment.
The conditions caused inspectors to raise concerns about attracting vermin.
Dirty Dining Reports | 13 Action News
When 13 Investigates went to Mimosas Gourmet to discuss the health inspection, the person in charge said the owner wasn't there and he wouldn't call her because he says he didn't know the owner.
We called the owner using the same number we exchanged texts in July when Mimosas Gourmet was first on Dirty Dining.
However, she did not respond to a voicemail message or text this time.
And that's not good enough for Lauraine and her family. They want answers and reassurance of a commitment to customer health.
"It's pertinent that where we go, we're safe," Lauraine said.
Mimosas Gourmet is currently in the health district's administrative process. That includes increased oversight, more frequent inspections, and intervention training.
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Click here to see the health report for Mimosas Gourmet.
