LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Taqueria El Buen Pastor is a Dirty Dining repeat offender with multiple locations making multiple appearances.
The one on Decatur and Meadows is back for seconds after a 38-demerit C grade on July 8. It got a 39-demerit C on February 26, so it's now failed back-to-back unannounced inspections.
When we dropped in to talk to the person in charge, an employee told us, "The manager's not here right now so you guys can't record right now."
The restaurant staff will have to undergo intervention training with the Health District due to repeat non-compliance.
The violations this time around included a food handler scooping ready-to-eat tortilla chips with bare hands, improper handwashing and sewage backing up out of floor drains and flooding the hot line and cook line.
On inspection day, the person in charge was not knowledgeable about basic food safety.
Inspectors found a large tray of cooked chicharron in the fridge that had expired June 23 so it was two weeks old at the time.
They were holding other potentially hazardous foods longer than allowed: carnitas and buche - which is pork stomach - was labeled okay to keep for nine days but the Health District only allows for seven.
Beans and cooked tripe were in the temperature danger zone and had to be thrown out.
Pastor meat was uncovered in the walk-in and exposed to potential contamination.
And shelves were lined with dirty aluminum foil.
The employee handed Darcy Spears the phone to talk to the boss who said he had "no desire to comment."
The other Taqueria El Buen Pastor locations that have been on Dirty Dining include a mobile unit on Fremont near 7th streets that was shut down in June, 2018 for an imminent health hazard, and one on Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue that was shut down for good in October, 2017 when its health permit was permanently revoked.
Our one imminent health hazard came at Han's Texaco mini mart on Oakey Avenue and Western Boulevard. It was shut down July 11 for a rodent infestation.
There was a large amount of rodent droppings and urine throughout the facility including the cabinet under the self-serve soda machine and the food storage room.
There was also rust and mold in the ice machine.
Taqueria El Buen Pastor still had a C grade as of this posting date - July 24.
Han's Texaco mini mart was back to a 3-demerit A grade on July 12. No one returned our call for comment.
Click here to see the health report for Taqueria El Buen Pastor.
Click here to see the health report for Han's Texaco mini mart.
