LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nittaya’s Secret Kitchen on Rampart and Lake Mead boulevards has a dirty little secret.
A 40-demerit "C" grade on Nov. 20 left them one point short of being shut down for excessive demerits.
It's something no one wants to talk about.
When we arrived to ask questions, an employee calls the owner, then tells us the owner says she'll be at the restaurant around 4:30 p.m and that we should come back.
But when we return, no owner and no answers other than a manager who won't go on camera saying the violations were all quickly fixed and calling them circumstantial - the circumstance being that Nittaya's is in the process of moving to a new location.
But that doesn't excuse the issues health inspectors observed.
An employee handled a trash can, then raw shrimp without handwashing or changing gloves.
Chicken was not cooked to a safe temperature, curry wasn't cooled properly and there was a repeat violation for storing food uncovered in the freezer.
An open container of raw shrimp was thawing in standing water in the three-compartment sink next to dirty dishes.
In-use utensils were stored in standing water.
And the main foodhandler was eating at the cookline during active food handling.
There was heavy grease build-up on hood filters and dirty ceiling tiles.
Condiment squeeze bottles sat on a dirty cutting board and a dry erase marker sat on a food container next to cut bell peppers.
The manager at Nittaya's took Darcy Spears' business card and said he'd ask the owner to call with comment, but she never did.
As of Wednesday evening, Nittaya's still had a "C" grade and the health district confirms the restaurant had not been reinspected.
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Click here to see the health report for Nittaya's Secret Kitchen.
