Undated roast duck, an ill employee handling food, frozen fish of unknown origin and oysters improperly stored in standing water were among the violations found during Reno-Sparks restaurant inspections in January.
Altogether, one grocery store was closed, two restaurants failed their inspections and six other restaurants were cited by Washoe County health inspectors during the period of Jan. 17-23.
Northern Nevada Public Health issues four types of inspection ratings:
- Pass: Fewer than three critical violations during inspection.
- Conditional pass: Three to five critical violations, or the same critical violation found for three consecutive routine inspections, that can be corrected immediately. The facility can stay open, and a reinspection will verify that all violations remain corrected.
- Fail: More than six critical violations that can be corrected during the inspection. The facility can stay open, and a reinspection will verify that all violations remain corrected.
- Close: Critical violations that can’t be remedied during the inspection. Facility is reopened by NNPH after the violations are corrected.
Over 85% of food establishments in Washoe County pass their annual inspection. In addition, NNPH reports that in the 2025 fiscal year, closures or failed inspections accounted for less than 3% of annual inspections.
Reno-Sparks locations that were closed following health inspections
168 Asian Supermarket
3090 S. Virginia St.
- Food packaging: Several food items within the facility had no labels, labels not in English and/or missing required information. Other items were not in their original container and without labels.
- Cooked product moved: Inspector was told undated roasted duck came from their other restaurant, Shanghai Bistro. The facility did not have an approved catering operational plan in order to move cooked product from one facility to another.
- Molluscan shellfish source: The inspector observed fish with no source information and no labels. All fish must be commercially caught/raised or approved by the Health Authority.
168 Asian Supermarket was given a conditional passing grade following a subsequent inspection.
Reno-Sparks locations that failed their health inspections
El Malecon
135 N. Sierra St., Unit E
- Food source: Frozen fish was in the freezer in a block of ice. The container was from Sierra Gold Seafood and the customer was listed as “River Peak.” The previous name of this food establishment under the same owner was “Silver Peak.” The owner could not explain to inspectors where the fish was stored during the change of ownership, and fish in partial block of ice indicated it may have thawed and refrozen.
- Environmental contamination: Raw shucked oysters were in a bus tub of standing water in the walk-in. Oysters must not be stored in standing water to prevent the spread of bacteria. The oysters also didn’t have the required shellstock tag with them.
- Facility and equipment: Food buildup was seen on equipment throughout facility, especially on two mixers in the back food prep area.
Pho Restaurant
6775 Sierra Center Pkwy.
- Ill employee: During the inspection, the owner stated that one of the food-handling employees was sick. The inspector asked the employee using a translation app if the employee was sick. The employee nodded. The inspector then asked the employee through the translator app if the employee had a fever. The employee nodded. The inspector also attempted to ask employee if they had a sore throat in English and by gesturing to the throat, to which the employee also nodded, but this question was not asked to the employee through a translator. The inspector informed owner that employee was not allowed to be on site given the illness symptoms present. The owner became agitated and stated that employee was not feeling well due to consuming alcohol the night before. The owner then stated that the health department is not allowed to send sick employees home because restaurant employees are not paid by the health department.
- Mold: Noodles in the walk-in refrigerator had visible mold.
- Handwashing: Both handwashing sinks were blocked, one with a cleaning bucket and one with pots and pans.
Reno-Sparks locations that received a conditional pass
Capriotti’s
1280 E. Plumb Lane, Unit B
- Date-marking and disposition: Multiple packages of cling-wrapped ham were held past their seven-day date mark. Food items that are time/temperature-controlled for safety must be date-marked and consumed or discarded within seven days to control pathogenic bacterial growth.
- Cooked product moved: The facility was preparing items to be transported to a permitted kitchen in a different jurisdiction for service. The facility did not have an approved catering operational plan in order to move cooked product from one facility to another.
Carniceria Samber
2360 Oddie Blvd., Sparks
- Hot-holding temperatures: Food items measuring below 135°F included rice (106°F), asada (123°F), chicharrones (96°F) and chorizo (128°F). Except during preparation, food items that are time/temperature-controlled for safety must be held at 135°F or above to control pathogenic bacterial growth.
- Cold-holding temperatures: The cold-holding prep unit was not functioning, and all food items within that are time/temperature-controlled for safety measured above 41°F. Except during preparation, food items that are time/temperature-controlled for safety must be held at 41°F or below to control pathogenic bacterial growth.
Carniceria Samber was given a full passing grade following a subsequent inspection.
International House of Pancakes
1800 S. Virginia St.
- Hot-holding temperatures: Hollandaise, country gravy and cooked sausages measured at 120-122°F. Except during preparation, food items that are time/temperature-controlled for safety must be held at 135°F or above to control pathogenic bacterial growth.
- Dishwashing: The dishwasher was not dispensing detectable levels of chlorine sanitizer at the time of inspection. Food contact surfaces must be effectively cleaned and sanitized using a mechanical and/or manual method of cleaning and sanitizing including the proper level of sanitizer solution or water temperature to adequately sanitize food contact surfaces.
Itzavy Sushi
408 W. Fifth St., No. 102
- Handwashing: An employee handled raw shrimp and then handled ready-to-eat deep-fried jalapeños without removing gloves and washing hands.
- Cold-holding temperatures: Crab salad and yakiton mix both made the day prior were measured at 53°F and 57°F. Cooked shrimp prepped approximately one hour earlier was measured at 63°F. Except during preparation, food items that are time/temperature-controlled for safety must be held at 41°F or below to control pathogenic bacterial growth.
Pisces Sushi
748 South Meadows Pkwy., Unit A11
- Handwashing: The person in charge went from touching his phone, testing the sanitizing solution and adjusting the temperature of a reach-in cold-holding unit to unwrapping various plates of fish. This was the third inspection at which a similar violation had been observed.
- Cold-holding temperatures: Food items measuring above 41°F included cream cheese (42-45°F), cubed cooked egg yolks (43°F), imitation crab salad (52°F) and two plates of salmon (44°F and 50°F). Except during preparation, food items that are time/temperature-controlled for safety must be held at 41°F or below to control pathogenic bacterial growth. This was the second inspection at which a similar violation had been observed.
Yoshi’s Unique Deli & Catering Co.
85 Foothill Road
- Date-marking and disposition: Two bags of cooked salmon were not date-marked; thawing meatloaf did not have a prepared and thawed date; other food was past their seven-day date marks, including gravy and cream cheese frosting. Food items that are time/temperature-controlled for safety must be date-marked and consumed or discarded within seven days to control pathogenic bacterial growth.
- Cold-holding temperatures: Food items measuring above 41°F included lettuce (41-44°F), lunch meats (44-47°F) and roasted peppers (46°F). Except during preparation, food items that are time/temperature-controlled for safety must be held at 41°F or below to control pathogenic bacterial growth.
Jan. 10-16: Lukewarm buffet, undated macarons cited in January health inspections…