LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Three imminent health hazards and 43 demerits.
Any one of those is enough to get a restaurant shut down by itself, but Wingstop had a quadruple whammy with the Health District.
The restaurant on Spring Mountain Road and Rainbow Boulevard was shut down on Jan. 20.
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Its three imminent health hazards were: no hot water in the restrooms or kitchen hand sinks, inadequate refrigeration and sewage water overflowing from a kitchen floor drain and leaking into the hallway in front of restrooms.
When we arrive to ask questions, we're told the person in charge isn't there, which is a violation that was noted the day of the inspection. It's required to have a designated person in charge on the premises during operating hours.
As we wait for an employee to call the manager, we see a kitchen worker who's not wearing gloves while working with ready-to-eat food. He even tries, but thankfully misses, catching a wing with his bare hand as it falls to the floor.
When the manager arrives, he tells us Wingstop has no comment.
Another violation health inspectors noted included improper handwashing. One food handler rinsed his hands for five seconds without soap and called it good. It was not.
And several food handlers adjusted their face masks then continued handling food. One worker touched his mask so often that the mask itself was soiled with food debris.
DIRTY DINING | Health inspection reports from Las Vegas restaurants
Inspectors say Wingstop's walk-in fridge couldn't hold a safe temperature so 11 trays of ranch dressing and a container of cooked corn on the cob had to be thrown out.
Water from a refrigerator condenser was dripping directly onto fries.
A greasy, yellowed cutting board was found in clean storage, as where pans that were dirty with old food and grease.
Floors were dirty and an ice scoop was stored in a plastic container with wet debris in the bottom.
Wingstop was back to a 6-demerit "A" grade on Jan. 21.
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Icy Juicy on Jones Boulevard and Desert Inn Road has been closed since Jan. 21, when inspectors discovered a multi-generational cockroach infestation.
The boba bar and steakhouse also got 36 demerits.
Inspectors found roaches in the kitchen and the cafe. Several were crawling on wooden blocks that were being used to prop up a refrigerator.
Heavy grease and old food-soiled equipment and floors, which were so dirty in some areas that the tiles had turned black.
Ventilation hood filters were excessively greasy and floor drains were dirty and slimy.
As for the food, inspectors found a large hair floating in a teapot full of milk, a tub of marinating steaks in the temperature danger zone and a rice scoop stored in lukewarm, standing water.
We were unable to reach anyone for comment.
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Laurita's taco shop on Maryland Parkway and Pebble Road was shut down on Jan. 22 for failing re-inspection from a previous "C" grade.
Keep in mind, the re-inspection occurs at the restaurant's request, so they know it's coming and are supposedly prepared for it.
You're allowed to get up to 10 demerits during re-inspection. Laurita's got more than twice that with 22, including multiple repeat critical and major violations.
It was shut down not only for failing re-inspection but also for "Uncontrolled foodborne illness risk factors."
Repeat violations included improper handwashing, food in the temperature danger zone and improperly stored raw chicken.
Also, the dicer was dirty with old food.
Laurita's re-opened Jan. 26 with a zero demerit "A" grade.
Our call for comment was not returned.
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The restaurant at the Conestoga golf course on Falcon Ridge Parkway in Mesquite was shut down on Jan. 19 for the imminent health hazard of no hot water.
The cook told the inspector they were waiting for parts to fix the water heater.
It was re-inspected on Jan. 20 and received a zero-demerit "A" grade.
The manager said the water heater went out over the weekend, the part came on Tuesday and it was fixed. He said they had a back-up, tankless water heater in the kitchen so it was mainly the front restrooms that were affected. As a result, they thought they were compliant.
Click here to see the health report for Wingstop Restaurants Inc.
Click here to see the health report for Icy Juicy.
Click here to see the health report for Laurita's Taco Shop.
Click here to see the health report for Conestoga Golf Course Restaurant.
