LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — 888 BBQ on Spring Mountain Rd. and Decatur Blvd. got a 35-demerit “C” grade on its Aug. 10 inspection.
Before you read the rest of this section, click on the pictures for this restaurant. They’re worth a thousand words and show just how dirty this kitchen was.
Inspectors were greeted by a live cockroach in the back kitchen, and multiple flies both in the kitchen and front dining area. An employee stepped on the roach and used a mop to clean the area.
There were many old, expired canned goods dating back to 2020.
Dry ingredients were stored in dirty containers on dirty shelves.
Excessive old and new food debris dirtied floors, equipment, sauce containers and food prep counters.
Bags of cooked pork and beef intestines in the fridge were not date labeled.
Walk-in refrigerator and freezer doors and shelves were dirty with old food.
They were prepping raw ducks, cooling blanched ducks and thawing frozen raw whole pigs at the left side of the back kitchen where an illegal remodel was performed. All the food was found to be in the temperature danger zone.
An employee touched raw pork and then touched rolling racks and the walk-in refrigerator door handle without washing hands.
There was moldy pumpkin in the fridge.
Cooked noodles, and raw duck wings and feet had to be thrown out due to unsafe temperatures.
Raw fish was stored above pickled carrots and daikon.
Raw whole pigs and pork pieces were uncovered in the freezer and fridge and touching shelving and other packaged foods.
Multiple foods were stored on the freezer floor.
Condensation from the refrigerator’s A/C unit was dripping onto containers of pickled carrot and daikon that were not properly covered.
When inspectors arrived, they discovered all food prep and cooking had been done without any sanitizer solution in the kitchen. The inspectors had to intervene multiple times to get employees to finally prepare sanitizer buckets.
Owner Judy Yang refused to sign the health report. When we called her, she directed us to Food Safety Consultant Tim Moulson, who she hired to help turn things around.
Moulson said he re-wrote procedures and did a 3-hour training on food safety in the kitchen.
Re-inspection is set for Aug. 30.
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Lucky House Asian Café on Spring Mountain Rd. near Jones Blvd. is on Dirty Dining for the second time this year.
The repeat offender was shut down Aug. 9 for failing re-inspection after the 39-demerit “C” grade it got on July 19.
It needed 10 demerits or less to pass but it got 27.
Inspectors found lots of expired food: multiple containers of heavy whipping cream that were actively in use but dated back to May, a large bag of cheese dating back to Dec. 2021, and multiple packages of ShuMai Wrappers dating back to July 2021.
Two bus tubs of raw meat were stored on the freezer floor.
Multiple food items were temperature abused or in the temperature danger zone.
Raw beef was stored over raw shrimp, and raw pooled eggs were stored above vegetables.
There was pink and brown mold in the ice machine.
Dish racks and floors were dirty.
Lucky House was already on probation with the Health District. At a supervisory conference on July 22, they signed a letter that said:
"Lucky House Asian Cafe must be able to pass an inspection with 10 demerits or less with no repeat critical or major violations. A failed inspection shall result in a closure and associated fee assessment. A closure stands until the facility has worked with the contracted Food Safety Consultant to put procedures in place for long term active managerial control of risk factors for foodborne illness and has passed a re-inspection."
Lucky House was re-inspected on Aug. 15 and received a zero-demerit "A" grade.
We left a message with an employee but were unable to reach the owner for comment.
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El Triunfo restaurant on Charleston and Lamb Blvds. was shut down Aug. 10 for a multi-generational cockroach infestation.
It also got 22 demerits.
Inspectors saw live and dead roaches on the wall above the 3-compartment sink, under the make table across from grills, next to the hand sanitizer dispenser at the entrance to the kitchen, under the refrigerator, under storage racks, and in the dining area.
They also found roach feces in several locations.
The restaurant had just had pest control service at 7 a.m. that same day.
Floors were dirty and had pooled water in some places.
An employee touched a cooked empanada with bare hands and another scooped ice out of beans with bare hands. The contaminated food was thrown out.
Three containers of soft cheese had to be thrown out due to improper cooling.
Inspectors wrote, “This facility has a documented history of non-compliant inspections. Failure to maintain the facility in compliance with the SNHD 2010 Regulations Governing the Sanitation of Food Establishments shall lead to further enforcement action up to and including an intervention training conference and the possible suspension, pending revocation, of the health permit to operate.”
It was reinspected Aug. 19 and got a zero-demerit “A” grade.
We were unable to reach anyone for comment.
Click here to see the health report for 888 BBQ.
Click here to see the health report for Lucky House Asian Cafe.
Click here to see the health report for El Triunfo Restaurant.
