LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Yi Mei Champion Deli on Spring Mountain Road and Arville Street was shut down Aug. 3 for two imminent health hazards: a multi-generational cockroach infestation and no hot water.
Inspectors saw live roaches throughout the kitchen -- they were in food, on the walls, floors, shelving and equipment and on food contact surfaces.
There was a roach inside an uncovered container of oil on a shelf under the prep table. The facility’s food safety consultant told inspectors the oil was used and intended for discard.
There were other small live insects in a bin of dried rice under the prep table.
An open jar of black beans had expired Sept. 11, 2020.
Meat mixture and dumplings in the freezer has ice crystals and freezer burn.
Eggs had to be thrown out due to unsafe temperatures.
Packages of bean sprouts were intermingled with packages of raw ground meat.
Brown and pink mold contaminated the ice machine, which is a repeat violation.
Dishes were being washed in excessively dirty, greasy water.
The deli slicer, dough machine and vegetable slicer were all dirty with wet and dried old food.
Dirty utensils were stored as clean, and floors were dirty and greasy.
It was re-inspected on Aug. 5 and received a zero-demerit "A" grade.
Owner Borman Yang said, “We changed the water line to the hot water heater and forgot to turn it on that day, so that explains the issue with the hot water. It was an accident. As for the roaches, hot weather brought roaches to the whole building. It’s an old building. Also, we had our pest control service out two days prior. This is the first time we’ve ever been shut down. I hired a retired health inspector as my food safety consultant and he’s there several days a week checking everything, but we’re otherwise really short-staffed. We went from 37 employees down to 11. It’s hard to find staff because nobody wants to work. We try very hard and it’s tough to stay in business. This was a very upsetting experience. Our current staff have been with us 10-15 years and they take it personally. Everyone worked hard and pulled an all-nighter deep cleaning. I worry because several businesses in Chinatown have had to close due to the pandemic and rent is going up.”
********************
Mazzoa Donuts on Blue Diamond Road near Decatur Boulevard was shut down Aug. 4 for the imminent health hazard of no hot water.
It also got 28 demerits.
Inspectors found the lack of hot water resulted in unsanitary conditions including dirty food equipment, improper ware washing and standing water throughout the kitchen due to a leak.
There was a repeat violation for a food handler who took money then handled ready-to-eat food without washing hands.
Food was stored on milk crates and uncovered racks of sheet pans were stored in a hallway near restrooms.
There was mold in the ice machine and lots of old food on equipment.
Flies buzzed around the front service area.
Equipment, ingredient storage bins, sheet pans, floors and walls were dirty and soiled with old food.
They were using garbage bags to store ready-to-eat donuts and dough in the fridge and freezer.
A garden hose was being used to wash dishes.
Food was being stored in milk crates and 5-gallon buckets, and shelves were lined with soiled cardboard.
Employee drinks and cell phones sat on prep tables.
Mazzoa has a history of pest-related complaints and was unable to prove that they had licensed pest control service, so inspectors required them to schedule service within 48 hours and provide documentation to the Health District.
It was re-inspected on Aug. 6 and received a zero-demerit "A" grade.
The owner did not respond a message requesting comment.
*******************
Beme’s Cuisine food truck at the Bruce Trent Park Farmers Market on Vegas Drive and Rampart Boulevard was shut down Aug. 4 for improper disposal of liquid waste and no hot water.
It also got 35 demerits.
A profusely leaking pipe under the trailer created pooled liquid waste dumping directly onto the ground of the Farmers Market parking lot.
Mold was growing in the make table where ready-to-eat tortillas were stored. There was also mold inside a container of shredded Parmesan cheese. Owner Khadeem “Beme” Simpson disputed the health inspector’s claim that there was mold in the make table but admits there was some in a Parmesan cheese container they weren’t using. “If you know anything about food, you know mold grows quickly in Parmesan cheese,” he said.
Raw sausage meat was stored in the same container as other ready-to-eat foods, and raw bacon was intermingled with ready-to-eat foods in the make table. Beme said the bacon package was new and un-opened.
Dirty kitchenware soiled with old food was stored as clean.
Multiple flies were buzzing through the mobile unit.
Floors and walls were excessively dirty with greasy build-up and old food.
Dry storage shelves were excessively disorganized and dirty.
It was re-inspected on Aug. 9 and received a zero-demerit "A" grade.
Beme called the violations, “A miscalculation on my part.”
He said, “The truck has been completely cleaned since then. We had a catering gig that morning and although the trailer was clean, we forgot to drain the water tank, so it was overflowing. We’ve been educated by SNHD on standard procedures/protocols and food safety and will abide by it strictly moving forward. Now that we know, we’re doing everything properly with using time as a control, 7-day shelf life for food in the fridge, etc.”
********************
Carlitos Cuban Food and Cafeteria, a Dirty Dining repeat offender on Maryland Parkway and Sahara Avenue, was shut down Aug. 4 for the imminent health hazard of inadequate refrigeration.
Multiple containers of food were being held in the temperature danger zone in the hot display case including cooked pork, cooked chicken, pork rind and stuffed potato. Lots of food in the walk-in cooler also had to be thrown out due to unsafe temperatures.
HVAC repairs started during the inspection, but the repairman was unable to adjust the temperature prior to the end of the inspection.
Carlitos was closed without a fee while repairs were completed.
It was re-inspected on Aug. 9 and received a zero-demerit "A" grade.
Owner Carlos Rodriguez said, “I have nothing to say about it. It wasn’t my fault.”
********************
Royce chocolate shop at the Grand Canal Shoppes in the Venetian hotel-casino on Las Vegas Boulevard was told to stop providing customer samples on Aug. 4 due to the imminent health hazard of no hot water at the only hand sink.
The facility was given a warning for closure without having to pay a fee.
The owner said they had an issue with a sink valve that gave out, had to order parts and it should be fixed by Sept. 1.
Click here to see the health report for Yi Mei Champion Deli.
Click here to see the health report for Beme's Cuisine.
Click here to see the complaint for Mazzoa Donuts.
Click here to see the health report for Mazzoa Donuts.
Click here to see the health report for Carlitos Cuban Food & Cafeteria.
Click here to see the health report for Royce Sampling.
