LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The term "from soup to nuts" comes from the full-course dinner served during the 1800s. Tonight's dirty dining is from steak to donuts. Here's 13 Chief Investigator Darcy Spears to tell you where the cockroaches were crawling as 2018 drew to a close.
It's rare to find a Vegas restaurant with so much staying power.
"This place has been open for 22 years, since 1996," says Leonardo Murua, the person in charge at Rincon de Buenos Aires Restaurant.
But a 4.5 star rating and more than 300 Yelp reviews couldn't keep this Argentinian steakhouse out of trouble with the Health District.
"You've been open for a long time. So what happened recently?," asks Darcy.
"In the last six months I'd say we got four different visitations," says Leonardo.
On December 27, Rincon de Buenos Aires on Spring Mountain near Lindell was shut down for a multi-generational cockroach infestation. There were live and dead roaches under the dish wash area, the ice machine and crawling around bags of onions and cases of potatoes on the floor in dry storage.
"Unfortunately we had the little slip there. We fighting them back right now," says Leonardo.
"Fighting back against the roaches. They did find some dirty conditions that required you guys to do a little bit of a deep cleaning. Why did it get like that?," asks Darcy.
And they did. Quickly. Rincon de Buenos Aires was back to a zero-demerit A grade the next day even though they had a lot to fix. Inspectors found the grease trap overflowing into an open plastic bucket. Container lids, the under side of prep tables, cook line equipment and the ware wash sink were all heavily soiled. Floors, walls, ceilings and vents were also dirty with food debris and grease.
"Everybody's got gloves on, yup, that's good," says Darcy.
"Say hi to Channel 13," says Leonardo.
He took us into the kitchen to show us how things have changed.
"And I see you have your sanitizer set up," says Darcy.
When inspectors were here, there was no sanitizer and food handlers were wiping their soiled hands on towels in their aprons.
"We're just kind of keeping track of it, you know? No more sleeping," says Leonardo.
"We're just kind of keeping track of it, you know? No more sleeping," says Leonardo.
"No more sleeping on the job?," asks Darcy.
"No more sleeping on the job," says Leonardo.
He says he was personally embarrassed by the conditions and the closure.
"And we promise you it will not happen again," says Leonardo.
"Nobody wants to see roaches running around a restaurant," says Darcy.
"No. No way. Neither myself. They're disgusting! Believe me," says Leonardo.
There was one other truly disgusting violation.
"Accumulation of food debris and microbial growth on utensils used for tenderizing raw meats. That's kinda yucky," says Darcy.
"Yes. That's kinda yucky. Like I said before, we probably same thing--feel comfortable with the job and not following the right details and directions, you know?," says Leonardo.
The Health District is requiring a training intervention at Rincon de Buenos Aires "due to C downgrade and closure on the previous two routine inspections."
Moving as promised from steak to donuts, we find ourselves at the second Winchell's location to be on Dirty Dining for a cockroach infestation.
The donut shop on Tropicana and Mountain Vista was shut down December 27 after inspectors found multi-generational roaches crawling under the sink, on the walls and floors, under the fridge and freezer and in the men's restroom.
Inspectors also saw conditions inviting to roaches including excessively dirty floors, floor drains, walls and equipment caked with old food debris and black build-up.
Both food and non-food contact surfaces were excessively soiled and baseboards separating from walls provided safe harbor for roaches.
Utensils used for shakes were stored in tepid standing water and a scoop with no handle sat in ready-to-eat Oreos.
Black mold grew on soda nozzles and there was significant black and pink mold in the ice machine.
Mixers were excessively soiled with food debris.
And the person in charge was not knowledgeable about food safety.
Despite Health District requirements for a deep cleaning and some repairs, Winchell's was back to a zero-demerit A grade the next day.
When we reached the manager on the phone to ask about the closure, she had no comment.
