"I don't want to talk to you," was the less-than-warm reception we got from Manager Kerri Fragoso at Blue Martini.
The Town Square night spot is back as a Dirty Dining repeat offender. Their Island Bar was shut down in August for a cockroach infestation. Now, the restaurant got a 36-demerit C grade on its February 17 inspection.
Contact 13 Chief Investigator Darcy Spears asked Fragoso, "Don't you don't want to tell anybody about the roaches, about the dirty conditions?
"We don't have any roach problem. We don't have a dirty problem," Fragoso answered. The rest of the interaction went like this:
Darcy: So is this incorrect? Is the health report incorrect? Because if it is, I'd like your side of that.
Kerri: No you wouldn't. You just want to make people look bad.
Darcy: I want to ask you about what's in this health report and only what's in the health report.
Kerri: Then why are you bringing up roaches?
Darcy: Because they're in the health report.
Kerri: No, they're not!
Darcy: Do you want to look? Let's look together.
Kerri: Ma'am you can just leave. I'm not doing an interview with you, you can leave.
Darcy: Okay, so you're telling me we're wrong but you won't even look at what the Health District has documented?
Kerri: I read the health report. I know exactly what's in there.
Then she would know that item 16 on page three says, "Evidence of pests observed in facility."
The inspector saw one adult live roach on a pan and worried there could be more so Blue Martini was required to have an emergency pest assessment within 48 hours of the inspection.
The Health District also documented "Conditions that allow the harboring or feeding of pests" including dried food debris and build-up on kitchen equipment, walls and floors and wet and dirty buildup behind all three ice makers.
Other violations included slime in the ice machine, clean flatware stored in a bin with long dark hairs and the executive chef did not have a valid health card.
"We're a restaurant and things happen," Fragoso said. "And I can't tell you why she gave us a C rating. We fixed all of our problems so we don't have any issues."
Blue Martini got its A grade back with zero demerits the evening of February 28. The inspector gave the restaurant management and staff kudos for all the improvements and cleaning.
Another repeat offender--Bachi Burger on Windmill and Bermuda--was shut down February 15 for three imminent health hazards: multi-generational cockroaches, sewage backing up out of a floor drain and no hot water. They reopened February 21 with a zero-demerit A grade. A spokesperson said there were issues with previous management and everything has been fixed.
Azuza Hookah Lounge Cafe on Paradise and Harmon was shut down February 15 for no hot water. The manager says it was fixed immediately, but they're still closed as their health permits have been suspended, pending a revocation hearing. She said they're waiting to re-open and working with their attorneys through the revocation process.
The kitchen at Imagination Station Early Learning Center on Vegas Valley and Lamb was closed on February 16 for no hot water. The daycare center director says their hot water heater went out and they've been through two plumbing companies trying to get the issue resolved. The kitchen was re-opened Thursday morning, March 1, with a zero-demerit A grade.
Tacos Tijuana at the Broadacres Swap Meet on Las Vegas Boulevard near Pecos was shut down for no hot water on February 17, but reopened later that day. We were unable to reach anyone for comment.
Documents for this week's Dirty Dining
Weekly restaurant downgrade report for Feb. 12-18
Inspection report for Tacos Tijuana
Inspection report for Blue Martini
Inspection report for Imagination Station
