During routine inspections by the Northern Nevada Health Department from July 16 to 31, 18 restaurants and dining establishments were criticized.
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For food safety reasons, keep your refrigerator as cold as possible.
Raw meat is thawed outdoors. Mold in soda guns. An employee does not wash his hands after returning from the restroom.
These were some of the violations health inspectors found at Washoe County restaurants in late July.
In total, 18 restaurants and catering establishments were found to be in breach of regulations during routine inspections by the Northern Nevada Health Department from July 16 to 31, four were closed completely, and the remaining 14 were given conditional approval.
85 day old sausage, warm cheese: What Washoe health inspectors found in early July
Northern Nevada Public Health, formerly known as Washoe County Health Department, issues four types of inspection ratings:
- Happen: Less than three critical violations during inspection.
- Conditional passing: Three to five critical violations that can be corrected immediately. The facility can remain open and a re-inspection will be conducted to “verify that all violations have been corrected,” the NNPH’s statement on the process said.
- Fail: A restaurant has more than six critical violations that can be corrected during the inspection. The establishment may remain open prior to re-inspection to ensure that all violations have been corrected.
- Close: The restaurant has serious violations that cannot be corrected during the inspection.
Below you will find a selection of critical and non-critical violations identified in the second half of July 2024.
Reno-Sparks restaurants closed due to serious health violations
Carniceria Samber
2360 Oddie Blvd., Sparks
Separation of raw animal foods: In the walk-in cooler, a container of raw chicken was stored above a container of raw ground beef, and a container of raw ground beef was stored above a container of whole raw fish. This was the third consecutive inspection of such violations.
Date marking and disposition: A pan of pre-packaged meat with a date from 10 days ago; a container of beans in the refrigerator with no date on it; it was the third inspection in a row with similar violations.
Coach’s Grill & Sports Bar
1573 S. Virginia St., Reno
Date marking and disposition: Multiple time/temperature controlled food items in refrigerators on the cook line dated seven days after the best-before date: corned beef, marinara, Alfredo, hot dogs, ribs, etc.; this was the third consecutive inspection with similar violations.
Surfaces that come into contact with food and other substances are cleanable and must be properly designed, constructed and used: It was observed that the cooler could not hold 41 °F and below.
Genghis Grill
191 Damonte Ranch Parkway C, Reno
Management control: During the inspection, the manager was not on site and there was no clear responsible person who could make effective changes in the facility. This was the second consecutive inspection with this violation.
Date marking and disposition: Milk carton with opening date 11 days before inspection.
Pizza Hut
10555 Stead Blvd., Reno
Temperature control devices: The facility’s walk-in refrigerator and makeup unit were inoperable.
Little Caesars Pizza passed a follow-up inspection on July 25.
Reno-Sparks restaurants conditionally pass health inspections
BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
425 Sparks Blvd., Sparks
Wastewater and sewage: The floor sink of a mechanical dishwasher overflowed severely, causing wastewater to spill onto the floor in the dishwashing area; a drain pipe was pushed away from the floor sink and drained directly onto the floor.
Washing hands: The employee touched raw chicken, changed gloves without washing his hands, and then touched basil that was supposed to be put on the pasta.
Carniceria Los Compadres #2
10555 Stead Blvd., Reno
Potential environmental contamination, cold holding temperatures: Speed rack of pork skin and sausage stored outside the facility’s back door without any covering or protection. According to the operator, the food was placed outside to thaw two hours earlier. The food was brought to a temperature between 15 and 21°C and stored outside for at least two hours.
Toilet facilities: There was no soap available in the facility’s employee restroom.
China Lee
2838 Vista Blvd. 106, Sparks
Separation of raw animal foods from ready-to-eat foods: Stored raw eggs over cooked chicken and raw beef over heads of lettuce.
Thawing methods: Ability to thaw cooked chicken overnight at room temperature.
After Pizza & Pasta
299 E. Plumb Lane, Reno
Contact with bare hands and ready-to-eat foods: Employee picked basil with bare hands to top the pizza.
Possible contamination during food storage: Personal food is mixed with service food in the serving container.
Edelweiss
13979 S. Virginia St. 505, Reno
Surfaces that come into contact with food: Ice maker with dirt buildup along the top edge.
Time as a control of public health: Pickled cabbage in the kitchen as well as products in the walk-in cold room (apricot jam, prepared dessert ingredients) with preparation dates from May 20 to July 23.
The Station
1185 California Ave. H, Reno
Date marking and disposition: For safety reasons, temperature-controlled foods without date labels throughout the facility: sliced watermelon, opened bag of lettuce, sliced cabbage, Clamato juice, milk, and cooked corn.
Storage of disposable items: Disposable items, such as cups, are stored on the floor in the corner of the front service area.
Fantasy Girl
1095 E. Fourth St., Reno
Possible environmental contamination: Mold formation in the soda guns and holders.
Food contact surfaces: Formation of black and pink mold in the ice cream maker.
Surfaces that do not come into contact with food: Accumulation of trash, liquids and debris under bar equipment and under ice machine. Sink floors with accumulation of various objects, slime deposits and flies.
Loco Ono
1585 S. Virginia St., Reno
Possible contamination during food storage: Employee meals are stored next to and above service meals and equipment.
Washing hands: An employee preparing raw chicken went outside, came back in, and returned to the chicken preparation station without removing his gloves and washing his hands before returning.
McDonald’s
2095 Brierly Way, Sparks
Separation of raw animal foods from ready-to-eat foods: Raw bacon stored over ready-to-eat pancakes and ham.
Hand wash basin: Back of kitchen sink without paper towels.
Mountain Mike’s Pizza
3340 S. McCarran Blvd., Reno
Washing hands: The employee returned from the toilet and entered the back of the house where food is handled in the kitchen without washing his hands.
Time as a control of public health: Several pizzas were observed at the buffet at over 57°C and one pizza at 46°C. The operator stated that pizza is only available at the buffet between 11am and 2pm and never stays there for more than four hours. There is a notice on the top of the buffet stating that pizza must never stay there for more than four hours, but the exact times are not recorded.
Simply Thai
15 Eagle Canyon Drive 101, Washoe County
Separation of raw animal foods from ready-to-eat foods: Several bags of raw, frozen chicken, not in hermetically sealed commercial packaging, stored above spring rolls in the freezer.
Washing hands: The employee held his mobile phone in gloved hands during a phone call and then handled food without removing his gloves or washing his hands after the call.
Sprouts Bakery
299 E. Plumb Lane, Reno
Storage of chemicals: A bottle of disinfectant is kept in the paper towel dispenser above the grated cheese on the food preparation table.
Sanitary: Water on the floor near the three compartment sink. The employee stated that when he started work that day there was a lot of water on the floor and he did not know where the leak was coming from.
Sprouts Farmers Market Deli
299 E. Plumb Lane, Reno
Separation of raw animal foods from ready-to-eat foods: Raw shrimp over cooked chicken in walk-in
Date marking and disposition: Slice tomatoes with a four-day expiration date in the sandwich unit and tomato pesto with no expiration date in the fridge/freezer.
Wendy’s
130 Salmon Place, Sparks
Physical facilities: Facility that uses cardboard to prevent grease from getting on surfaces that come into contact with food.
Hand wash basin: Water jug stored in the back of the kitchen sink.
