"We're always clean." That's what Kusina Ni Lorraine Manager Doris DeGuzman said in response to a health inspection showing they're not always clean.
Health inspectors noted excessive old food debris and grease on the stove, wok station and ovens.
Said DeGuzman, "Because during the time maybe they were not done cleaning yet."
Kusina Ni Lorraine is a Dirty Dining repeat offender. We've had their Ann Road location on twice. Now, it's the one on Rancho and Torrey Pines with a 33-demerit C grade on its February 28 inspection.
"What about all the moldy food they found in the fridge?" Darcy Spears asked. "There were bell peppers and citrus and jicama and tomatoes--all had mold."
"That was an accident," said DeGuzman. "Maybe they forgot to remove it."
Inspectors also found expired red beans and sweet rice.
A box of plantains with large holes in the bottom was on a drain board soaking in water from raw fish.
There was old food debris and rubbish on a fridge shelf.
And a lot of food in the temperature danger zone.
When we tried to find where their C grade was posted, DeGuzman pointed to the side of a small microwave, saying that's where they stuck it because it keeps falling off the wall.
Her message to customers is this, "It was just so unfortunate that when they came we're not done cleaning yet, but we're always clean, we're always ready, all the foods are fresh and I'm sorry."
Our imminent health hazard closures are all about pests.
Family Dollar store on Lake Mead and Pecos was shut down March 1 for a rodent infestation due to "Poor sanitation and structural deficiencies."
Inspectors found spilled food, nesting materials, and an extreme amount of mouse feces and urine beneath shelving in the candy and pet food aisles.
There was also a hole in the wall that had been sealed with non-rodent-proof material which the mice subsequently chewed through, creating a new hole in the same location.
Family Dollar's pest control records show an average of six rodents trapped per several visits in the last few months, plus dead rodents and extremely high levels of urine and feces.
The store has a history of rodent activity observed during health inspections going back to October of 2016. They've been downgraded in the past for repeat violations.
They reopened on March 9 with zero demerits and an A grade.
Dollar Tree, Inc. sent a statement saying "The safety of our associates and customers is our first priority. We closed our store for a brief period of time to completely address the issue. We worked with the health inspector, landlord, and pest control services and our store is now open after passing re-inspection."
There were more pests at PT's Pub on Tropicana and Maryland Parkway, which was shut down February 27.
Inspectors were there to follow up on cockroaches they found during a February 5 routine inspection.
During the follow-up, multiple multi-generational roaches were found inside a cracked base at the bottom of the counter. They also saw roaches moving under the floor mats, at the trash can and heavily concentrated on the left side of the bar.
The health report says this PT's location has "Been given opportunities to have comprehensive pest control fix the issues and were well aware of the impending closure if live roaches were found during the Health District's follow up."
The report shows PT's voluntarily self-closed the back kitchen since they are very dependent on the bar.
In a written statement, a spokesperson said, "The situation only affected the bar area at PT's Pub. The dining room and kitchen maintained A ratings. PT's entertainment group made the decision on its own to close the entire facility for three days (Feb. 27-28 and March 1) to remediate the issue. PT's was not instructed by the Southern Nevada Health Department to close the kitchen. On March 2, PT's Pub #518 received an A rating from the Southern Nevada Health Department with zero demerits and reopened."
Cousins Maine Lobster food truck shut down on February 28 due to no hot water. Inspectors found the truck at Smith's on Green Valley Parkway near the 215.
CML says their water pump broke in the middle of the inspection and that they reopened the next day, March 1, with a zero-demerit A grade. They called the whole thing, "Bad luck and bad timing," noting their history of nothing but A grades since they opened in 2015.
Documents for this week's Dirty Dining
Weekly restaurant inspection downgrade report for 2/26-3/4
Family Dollar inspection report
