A catering company, a repeat offender restaurant and a fast food joint are the Dirty Dining headliners this week.
All were shut down for imminent health hazards.
The kitchen where Exquisite Hospitality racked up 37 demerits and an imminent health hazard closure is inside the Alexis Park Resort on Harmon Avenue near Paradise Road.
So naturally, that's where we went to find them.
But instead of a catering company, we were greeted by a small squadron of security guards. We are escorted out but apparently that's not enough.
Because as we walk out, they all follow. And we didn't need an escort, but apparently they felt we did.
Exquisite Hospitality caters private events across the valley. They rent kitchen space at Alexis Park but don't provide any food service at the resort.
They're affiliated with Origin India, a restaurant that was on Dirty Dining in 2013.
According to the health inspection, Exquisite Hospitality was temporarily shut down due to gross, unsanitary conditions after inspectors found floor drains overflowing, including one spewing raw chicken juice. Cheese, onion masala and beans were at dangerous temperatures and had to be thrown out.
A sink in the kitchen was being used to wash vegetables and thaw frozen chicken, which poses a major cross-contamination hazard. They got a repeat violation for uncovered food in the fridge. The only handwash sink was being used as a dump sink.
And there were small, black flies in the food prep area.
Another imminent health hazard closure came at Axum Ethiopian restaurant on Twain Avenue and Swenson Street, which is a Dirty Dining repeat offender. They were shut down this time for operating without hot water.
But that's not all inspectors found. We first featured Axum in June when a cockroach infestation closed their doors. And it seems the roaches are back.
On the stove, inspectors saw two pots with leftover food and dried food debris from the night before. Axum told inspectors they usually leave stuff out overnight for the cleaning lady to wash the next day.
Not only is that a violation of health code, it also invites the roaches, which were spotted on the floor, faucet handles, and on dirty dishes in the sink.
The last closure came at Burger King on Maryland Parkway and Desert Inn Road.
They were shut down because sewage was backing up into the food prep area and flowing to the second drive-thru window.
All three places are back open with A grades.
No one from Exquisite Hospitality was available to go on camera, but they told Contact 13 all violations were addressed immediately and there's been a complete changeover in staff as a result. They also hired a food safety consultant to guide them and ensure this doesn't happen again.
