LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — For the second week in a row, Dirty Dining has a tie for the dirtiest of dining with two restaurants earning 32-demerit C grades.
First, an imminent health hazard prompts a closure at India Express on the Vegas Strip.
The eatery in the Showcase Mall food court on Las Vegas Boulevard, near Tropicana Avenue, was shut down June 30 for a cockroach infestation.
There were live roaches, dead ones of multiple sizes, cockroach body parts and roach feces - which is particularly concerning considering the inspector found unidentifiable black specks in a container of flour.
Roaches were crawling on the sink, floor, and wall behind clean dishes.
Cockroach egg casings were found on equipment in clean storage. And two bags of plates had to be thrown out after the inspector found dead cockroach parts inside the bags in direct contact with the plates.
Roaches were the imminent health hazard, but there were also other violations including a food handler wiping his hands on a dirty, dry towel instead of washing them.
Dirty strainers, metal dishware, and a dirty can opener were stored as clean.
Dishes in clean storage were dirty with old food.
A cutting board was stained, and no longer cleanable and floor drains were dirty and clogged.
Owner Manpreet Singh did not want to comment other than to say that the restaurant was re-inspected and reopened with an A grade on July 2.
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Mimosas Gourmet on Durango Drive, between Spring Mountain and Desert Inn roads, got a 32-demerit C grade on its July 1 inspection.
As has been seen on many recent inspections, the main critical violation was improper hand-washing. Inspectors saw one employee wash their hands with gloves on and another lather their hands for less than five seconds before rinsing.
Inspectors also found house-made garlic butter that was nearly a month old and other expired food including Chile Verde, corned beef and coleslaw.
Red potatoes had to be thrown out due to unsafe temperatures. Other food in the temperature danger zone included cooked chopped chicken, cheese, cut greens, and sausage.
A container of cooked potatoes was stored on top of an open trash can and a bulk bag of powdered sugar had been left open and subject to contamination.
Plastic to-go containers were stacked on top of fresh blueberries and a Styrofoam container sat on top of sliced onions.
An employee’s open cup of juice sat on top of an in-use dough mixer.
Avocados were not being washed before being prepped.
Equipment, shelves, and floors were excessively dirty and greasy.
The health district’s website shows Mimosas Gourmet still had a C grade.
The owner wouldn't take calls, but said via text, "We've been in business for a long time and never fail any inspections. You can check our records."
13 Action News did check and found this was not the first C grade for Mimosas Gourmet. The restaurant got a 33-demerit C on its Aug. 21, 2018, inspection.
The owner added, "We do everything to take care of our customers."
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Siri Thai on Windmill Lane and Pecos Road in Henderson got a 32-demerit C grade on June 30.
Multiple staff members adjusted their face masks with gloved hands, then continued to prepare food without changing gloves or washing hands.
Expired noodles had to be thrown out after the inspector discovered they were two weeks old.
Chicken, vegetable soup and other noodles also had to be thrown out due to unsafe temperatures.
Containers full of food were double-stacked and unprotected from contamination.
Raw eggs were stored on top of raw produce and a bag of raw chicken was stored on top of raw peppers and raw beef. All of it had to be thrown out.
A container of raw marinating chicken was stored on the floor and a rice paddle sat in tepid water.
Staff was cleaning a prep surface with a dirty, dry cloth and there were filthy clothes stuck to the floor by the sink.
Owner Sariya Taingvong and her husband said they are opening another restaurant so she left her son in charge, but he didn’t stay on top of things. And the new cook wasn’t doing his job properly either.
Taingvong's brother was now managing Siri Thai and she said she hopes he will get it all squared away.
Siri Thai still had a C grade but Taingvong says everything has been fixed and they’re just awaiting re-inspection.
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Click here to see the health report for Mimosas Gourmet.
Click here to see the health report for Siri Thai Restaurant.
Click here to see the health report for India Express.
