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DIRTY DINING: Confrontation outside Weera Thai

Posted at 10:45 PM, Mar 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-16 02:48:52-04

A lot of people think of Darcy Spears as the food police in her Dirty Dining reports. But in this episode, the real cops had to be called because of what happened when Darcy tried to get a restaurant's side of the story.

PHOTOS: Dirty Dining March 15, 2017

It was a calm, warm afternoon as we walked up to Weera Thai. The Dirty Dining repeat offender on Sahara Avenue near Valley View Boulevard got a 38 demerit C grade -- their second C in less than a year.

Darcy: Excuse us.
Twin 1: Nope.
Darcy: Nope? Who are you?
Twin 1: Time to lock the door.
Darcy: Time to lock the door? This is a public business.
Twin 2: Hey, you gonna make us famous today?
Darcy: Who are you guys?
Twin 2: Doesn't matter.
Darcy: It actually does matter. You're impeding our progress into a facility that's open to the public.
Twin 2: Then call somebody. Call somebody.
Darcy: Who are you and why are you here?
Both twins: Everything was addressed. Weera Thai's the best.

It's a rhyme from these self-proclaimed volunteer bouncers who refuse to give their names after they locked customers inside to prevent us from trying to talk to the person in charge.

Twin 2: They'll come out here. Outside.
Darcy: That's fine. I just want to make sure they have the opportunity to address it. If you'd like to bring someone out, we'll wait for them.
Twin 2 to camera: Hey! What's up?
Darcy: Go let them know.
Twin 2: Don't tell me what to do!
Twin 1 to Twin 2: Settle down.
Darcy: Yeah, do settle down, please. We just want to give the restaurant the opportunity...
Camera man: You're the one blocking the door.
Twin 1: We are blocking the door and it's gonna stay blocked. We're gonna stay right here.

As customers arrive, the twins try to downplay the fact that Weera Thai was just three demerits shy of being shut down by the Health District.

Twin 2 to customers: It's a very clean restaurant. These guys are whatever.
Twin 1: Clean restaurant.
Twin 2: Clean restaurant.

Inspectors found rice and raw eggs at unsafe temperatures. A dirty cardboard box stored on peeled fruit. Five cans with critical or major defects -- meaning the stuff inside is considered compromised. And an insect zapper right above to-go food containers.

Twin 2: Call 911.
Darcy: We wouldn't abuse the 911 system. I don't know why you're suggesting that.
Twin 1: You're a good reporter. The chicken curry is awesome. The yellow chicken curry is awesome here.
Darcy: Well, why don't you go inside and eat?
Twin 2: Nope. Why don't you go to McDonald's?

Curry sauces at Weera Thai had to be tossed in the garbage due to improper cooling. And inspectors found the hot water at the customer restroom hand sink was intentionally disabled. 

The facility ownership had to attend a second supervisory conference at the Health District due to non-compliance.

Darcy: If you can get the person in charge to come let us know. ... You need to settle down. He's a bit more reasonable than you are.
Twin 2: Don't tell me to settle down! You settle down!
Darcy: Sir.
Twin 2: Sir! M'am! Sir! You settle down.
Twin 1: I agree with him. Step back.
Twin 2: You're impeding my space!
Darcy: Would you like to let the people know that we would like to give them the opportunity...
Twin 1: I don't need to answer your questions. I don't work for you. I do not work for you.
Twin 2: Go back to journalism school.
Darcy: What would you like me to learn in journalism school beyond what's in this public record?
Twin 2: Manners!

That guy thinks we need to learn manners.

Twin 2: Call their lawyer (shoves a card into the camera lens.)
Darcy: Do not touch my camera! Do not touch my camera!

The business card is not for a lawyer. It's a food safety consultant the restaurant hired a week earlier to help train their staff to avoid further violations of health code.

Both twins: We're loyal to this restaurant.
Darcy: Congratulations! Go inside and have some lunch.
Twin 2: You can't eat here and you can't come in here.
Darcy: I don't wish to eat there.
Twin 2: Unless you get a police officer to say move.

That is exactly what we did.

Darcy on phone: Hi, this is Darcy Spears calling from channel 13. We're requesting officer assistance at Weera Thai restaurant, 3839 West Sahara.

While we wait for Las Vegas police, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum just can't stop.

Darcy: You are not an authorized representative of this restaurant. What part of that do you not get?
Twin 2: You don't represent me with your stupid camera!
Darcy: You are making this restaurant look so bad.
Twin 2: Exactly!

We find the "wonder twins" have been lying in wait for us with a bag of reading material, including "The Biography of Michael Vick." Vick is the former NFL quarterback who went to federal prison for his involvement in a dog fighting ring.

When officers arrived, they smoothed things over and found out from the restaurant management that they had no comment. 

The twins were sent inside.

We've got one imminent health hazard closure at Mrs. Fields cookies in the Boulevard Mall. 

It was shut down after inspectors found wastewater backing up onto the kitchen floor. They also found lots of outdated butter cream frosting. Two of the batches expired last summer!

Weera Thai and Mrs. Fields are both back to zero-demerit A grades.