Stacks & Yolks has been labeled by the Health District as "Perpetually non-compliant."
The restaurant on Durango and Warm Springs was called The Griddle when it was on Dirty Dining the previous two times. Though the name changed, the pattern of problems continues
Stacks and Yolks got a 39-demerit C grade on its July 17 inspection and is now in the Health District's administrative process, which means intensive training, increased inspections, supervisory conferences and possible permit suspension if things don't shape up.
When we went to talk to them this time, the owner wasn't there and the person in charge said, "I'm not authorized to go on camera or talk about anything, unfortunately."
While we wait for him to call owner Bahador Emamzadeh, we notice the C grade is no longer in public view, which is a violation.
Stacks & Yolks' other violations included a container of moldy diced green chiles and expired tuna salad and noodle soup.
One fridge had open containers, food spills and was generally dirty. The bottom of another fridge was covered in spilled liquid too.
The prep table, cutting boards, equipment handles, lids, stove knobs, walls and shelves were all dirty with accumulated grease and food debris, and dripping condensation caused mold to grow and a foul odor under the cook line drawers.
Owner Baha Emamzadeh called us back to say he's not making excuses but he can't be there 24/7 and has to spend a lot of time out of town, focusing on a location in California. He said everything is fixed, he's confident in the new people he's put in charge and they're ready to move forward. They're hoping to get their A grade back early next week.
Our imminent health hazard closures begin with Vegas Best Pizza on East Tropicana between Koval and Paradise. It was shut down July 19 with 40 demerits for gross, unsanitary conditions.
Inspectors saw a food handler drop a pizza paddle on the floor then keep using it without cleaning.
The floor, slicer, cutting board, food trays and sink were excessively soiled with food debris and grease and there was black mold in the floor drain.
The owner said the debris on the floor was just flour from mixing dough and that if his restaurant was truly as bad as the inspection made it seem, they wouldn't have been able to re-open the next day with a 3-demerit A grade.
Halo restaurant on Decatur and Sahara was shut down July 20 after inspectors found it operating during a time it was supposed to be shut down from a previous Health District closure on July 7.
Inspectors also found milk that was 17 days past its expiration date, egg roll wraps that had expired in March and cheese that expired in mid-June. Halo re-opened July 25 with a zero-demerit A grade. No one from the restaurant returned our call for comment.
And the deli inside Albertsons on Maryland Parkway and Silverado Ranch was shut down July 17 for the imminent health hazard of no hot water. The inspection was the result of a complaint that was validated. The deli reopened the next day with a zero-demerit A grade.
An Albertsons spokesperson said, "Our store experienced a water leak in the deli area and a plumber was called immediately. In the process of inspecting and repairing the leak the plumber turned off water to the sink. At this same time workers began using the attached, permitted, bakery sinks while the plumber continued the repair. In retrospect employees should have immediately closed the deli. We thank the Southern Nevada Health District for assisting us to resolve this issue. We have taken all necessary precautions, including retraining employees, to prevent this from reoccurrence."
For more information on the administrative process Stacks & Yolks is going through, see the following statement from the Southern Nevada Health District:
The Health District’s Administrative Process has been developed to protect the health and safety of the visitors and residents of Clark County by assisting food establishments in complying with industry food safety standards and regulations, or in the rare case, permanently discontinuing operations at a food establishment.
The procedure begins after an establishment is identified as perpetually non-compliant with the Health District’s regulations. The process begins with an on-site evaluation of the facility where the risk factors for foodborne illness have been identified, and training is provided. The facility is then placed on an accelerated inspection schedule, which remains throughout the time the facility is in the administrative process.
If the facility does not come into significant compliance with the regulation after the intervention is conducted, the facility’s management is brought into the health district to meet with the office supervisor. This meeting is known as a 'supervisory conference.' At that meeting, a discussion of the risk factors present in the facility takes place, with strategies for success suggested. At this step, the facility is generally required to contract with a food safety consultant." This is where Stacks & Yolks is in the administrative process.
After the supervisory conference, if the facility continues to struggle with compliance, the management will meet with the food operations manager for a 'managerial conference.' At this meeting, the facility’s management is informed that any further significant non-compliance will result in a suspension, pending revocation per the Nevada Revised Statute, chapter 446.
If the facility remains non-compliant with our regulation after the managerial conference, the permit is suspended, pending revocation. The food establishment has the option to appeal the revocation and the facility is afforded a hearing, at which time the disposition of the permit is decided by a hearing officer. If the food establishment does not request a hearing within five days, the permit is permanently revoked.
At any point in the process prior to revocation, if the facility demonstrates compliance in three consecutive unannounced inspections, the facility is removed from the process."
Southern Nevada Health District documents from this week's Dirty Dining report:
Weekly inspection downgrade report
Stacks and Yolks inspection report
Albertsons reinspection report
