Sacramento-area Mountain Mike’s Pizza cited for mold, improper cleaning
A south Sacramento Thai restaurant was ordered to close temporarily after a plumbing issue caused a drainage sink to overflow.
Twelve other restaurants were issued citations for a multitude of food safety issues, including mold, spoiled food and food contamination.
While a yellow placard signals two or more major violations, these are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection, according to the Sacramento County Food Inspection Guide.
A red placard, however, signals “imminent danger to public health and safety” and suspends the health permit until violations are corrected. This could include, but is not limited to, major vermin contamination.
In contrast, a green placard means a restaurant passed inspection.
The county performs about 14,000 inspections annually, with 97% of establishments passing, county spokesperson Ken Casparis previously told The Sacramento Bee.
Approximately 1% of inspections result in a closure, he said.
The Sacramento Bee previously reported on a doughnut shop that was ordered to close due to evidence of a rodent infestation.
Natomas Donuts, 2711 Del Paso Road, Suite 130 in Sacramento, was permitted to reopen on April 3 after a second re-inspection found no rodent droppings in the facility.
The doughnut shop’s owner issued a statement apologizing to customers for not providing a “clean, safe, and healthy environment,” according to previous Bee reporting.
According to the owner’s statement, the shop’s manager was fired for negligence and the facility was professionally cleaned and sanitized.
Here are the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Thursday, April 3, through Wednesday, April 9, as of Thursday afternoon:
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com. The Bee publishes weekly updates on health inspections across Sacramento County.
Thai restaurant closed due to clogged drainage system
Sai Varee Thai Cuisine, 7485 Rush River Drive, Suite 770, in Sacramento’s Pocket neighborhood had 15 violations on Thursday, April 3.
The Thai restaurant was closed by Sacramento County health inspectors for a plumbing issue.
A floor sink near the facility’s front counter, which drains wastewater from a ware-washing sink, a hand-washing sink and an ice machine, was completely clogged and overflowing.
An employee told an inspector she was not able to use the sinks that lead to the floor drain because of the drainage issue, according to the report.
Employees had to discard a box of leafy greens after condensation from an evaporator was seen dripping onto the vegetables.
Moldy food and containers were found in a cooler in the restaurant’s front area. An employee reportedly told inspectors the food was another employee’s personal food.
A container of raw meat was being stored on top of a trash can in the kitchen.
Various dishes, equipment and utensils came out of a dishwasher cycle with buildup and “pink-colored water,” the report read.
“Potentially hazardous foods,” including raw and partially cooled meat and eggs, were stored improperly above vegetables in a cooler.
Sai Varee Thai Cuisine was re-inspected and permitted to reopen on Friday, April 4.
A Sacramento Bee reporter was unable to reach a restaurant representative for comment on the closure Thursday.
Mountain Mike’s, 7-Eleven among restaurants cited for food safety violations
Caffe Latte Restaurant, 7600 Greenhaven Drive, Suite 1, in Sacramento’s Pocket neighborhood had 18 violations on Thursday, April 3.
The cafe was issued a citation for keeping food at incorrect temperatures and contaminating food.
An employee was seen cracking a raw egg, then handling spinach without washing their hands in between.
French toast batter in a cooler was measured 10 degrees warmer than what is considered safe.
Some cooler drawers under a grill were not able to keep a cold enough ambient temperature due to damaged gaskets. Ground beef, cheese and other cold food items stored in the drawers measured outside of the proper temperature range.
The restaurant was reportedly using a household blender and electric hand mixer that were not approved for commercial use.
The health permit posted at the restaurant at the time of the inspection was not in date, according to the report.
Caffe Latte Restaurant was re-inspected and given a green placard on Friday, April 4.
Taqueria Taco Loco, 195 Blue Ravine Road, Suite 700, in Folsom had six violations on Friday, April 4.
The Mexican restaurant was cited by health inspectors for having food at unsafe temperatures and having improper cleaning procedures.
Raw eggs in a pan on a prep table measured 30 degrees warmer than what is allowed for eggs.
The facility’s bar dish-washing machine was not piping sanitizing chemicals into the wash basin because the machine’s chemical lines were set up improperly.
There was no soap available at the kitchen’s hand-washing sink with no replacement available in the facility, according to the report.
The restaurant reportedly was not maintaining records of employee food handler cards at the time of the inspection.
Taqueria Taco Loco passed a re-inspection on Saturday, April 5.
Taqueria El Burrito, 4730 Natomas Blvd., Suite 170, in the North Natomas section of Sacramento had 16 violations on Friday, April 4.
The taco shop was issued a yellow placard for keeping food outside of safe holding temperatures and not properly preventing food contamination.
A tray of pineapple had to be thrown away after condensation in a walk-in refrigerator was seen dripping onto the tray.
A cold top unit was not working, which left its contents — including eggs — too warm.
Birria meat, refried beans and whole beans were not reheated to hot enough temperatures. This was a repeat violation, according to the report.
The restaurant’s hot water for hand washing and dish washing was not hot enough.
A freezer walk-in’s door had ice built up around the edges, so it was not able to close fully.
Bowls and cups without handles were stored as scoops inside of bins of pico de gallo, masa, sugar and salt.
The facility failed a re-inspection on Monday, April 7, due to similar major violations.
Taqueria El Burrito was re-inspected and issued a green placard on Wednesday, April 9.
7-Eleven, 9210 Kiefer Blvd. in Rosemont had eight violations on Monday, April 7.
The convenience store was cited after inspectors found violations of cleaning regulations and food held outside of proper temperatures.
Cooked chicken wings in a hot holding case were colder than what is considered safe.
There was no soap at the hand sink in the facility’s food preparation area.
Raw eggs were being kept above prepackaged burritos and pizzas in an open refrigerator.
Pizza boxes were found stored on the floor of the ware-washing room. This was a second repeat violation, the report said.
The 7-Eleven location was re-inspected and given a passing grade on Wednesday, April 9.
Licious Chinese Cuisine, 9160 E. Stockton Blvd., Suite 150, in Elk Grove had 13 violations on Monday, April 7.
The Chinese restaurant was given a yellow placard for improperly thawing “potentially hazardous foods.”
Inspectors observed multiple whole raw chickens thawing in a prep sink full of stagnant water. The chickens measured at temperatures 17 to 23 degrees warmer than what is considered safe.
A hand-washing sink was left inaccessible by a plastic gallon-sized bottle stored in the basin and boxes of frying oil stored on the floor.
Employees were reportedly using old cardboard as a floor mat for the cook’s line.
Three bulk containers of dry ingredients did not have labels indicating what the contents were.
The restaurant’s health permit was not available for inspectors to review, according to the report. This was a repeat violation.
Licious Chinese Cuisine had not been re-inspected as of Thursday afternoon.
Rice And Noodles, 7501 W. Stockton Blvd., Suite 110, in Sacramento’s Valley Hi/North Laguna neighborhood had 14 violations on Monday, April 7.
The Chinese restaurant was issued a yellow placard after inspectors found employees contaminating food contact surfaces and using gloves improperly.
A cook wearing gloves was seen chopping raw chicken, then washing the single-use gloves with detergent at a sink.
Employees reportedly moved food containers from the floor directly onto food preparation surfaces.
Multiple “potentially hazardous foods” were measured outside of safe temperature ranges.
The restaurant had multiple foods, including onions and pig ears, thawing on the floor below the dish washing machine’s drainboard.
Employees were reportedly using a sheet tray placed on top of the kitchen’s garbage can as a work surface.
A cellphone was found stored on a food preparation board.
Rice and Noodles passed a re-inspection on Wednesday, April 9.
Fair Oaks Coffee House & Deli, 10223 Fair Oaks Blvd. in Fair Oaks, had six violations on Monday, April 7.
The deli and cafe was cited after inspectors found cleaning-related violations and food held outside of safe temperatures.
A dish-washing machine had an inoperative sanitizer pump, so wares were not being properly sanitized at the end of the wash cycle.
Cut tomatoes and turkey in refrigerated units were measured in the “temperature danger zone.”
Inspectors found the restaurant had multiple ovens despite the facility not having a proper exhaust hood to vent heat.
The restaurant reportedly had no food safety certified manager. This was a repeat violation, according to the report.
The facility’s health permit was expired at the time of the inspection, the report said.
Fair Oaks Coffee House & Deli was issued a green placard after a successful re-inspection on Tuesday, April 8.
El Forastero Mexican Food, 7235 Stockton Blvd. in unincorporated south Sacramento had seven violations on Monday, April 7.
The Mexican restaurant was given a yellow placard for having unsafe methods of cooling food.
Cooked rice and beans that had been cooling for about two hours at the time they were measured were 30 degrees warmer than is considered safe.
A hand-washing sink was blocked from use by a sanitizer bucket and trays.
Inspectors found “heavy debris” on the ceiling of a walk-in cooler and “light debris” inside an ice machine.
Two cellphones and a smart watch were found stored on a food preparation table near the cook’s line.
El Forastero Mexican Food passed a re-inspection on Tuesday, April 8.
Black Bear Diner, 7935 Madison Ave. in Citrus Heights had 15 violations on Tuesday, April 8.
The chain diner restaurant was cited after inspectors found food kept at improper temperatures and unsafe cleaning procedures.
There was no soap available at a hand wash sink in the server’s area. This was a repeat violation, according to the report.
Numerous foods considered “potentially hazardous” were measured outside the proper hot and cold holding temperatures. This was a repeat violation “multiple times,” the report said.
A cold top refrigerator in the server’s area was set to hold food at the incorrect temperature.
Cooked meat stored in a refrigerator was in direct contact with the refrigerator’s shelves.
Employees reportedly filled sanitizer buckets on the floor, then placed them directly on a prep counter without cleaning.
“Either don’t place the bucket on (the) floor or don’t place it on (a) food surface,” the report read.
The Black Bear Diner location had not been re-inspected as of Thursday afternoon.
Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 4207 Elverta Road, Suite 105, in Antelope had 12 violations on Wednesday, April 9.
The chain pizza restaurant was cited after inspectors noted moldy residue on equipment.
A condensation pipe in the walk-in refrigerator had “moldy/white residue” and was leaking into empty trays, according to the report.
A floor sink underneath the restaurant’s soda machine had “excess black/pink residue,” the report said.
The dish-washing machine did not have any sanitizer at the time of the inspection, and there were no sanitizer buckets set up in the kitchen.
Employees reportedly did not know the proper sanitizing procedures for equipment and wares.
Two cans of tomato sauce in the kitchen had “major” dents.
The restaurant did not have employee food handler cards or the most recent health inspection report available for inspectors to review.
Mountain Mike’s Pizza had not been re-inspected as of Thursday afternoon.
Fresh Wok Express Halal, 8136 Gerber Road in unincorporated south Sacramento, had nine violations on Wednesday, April 9.
The Pakistani-Indian restaurant was issued a yellow placard for storing spoiled food and keeping food in improper containers.
Five pounds of flour had to be discarded after it was found stored in a dish detergent container.
Food items in a prep top cooler were observed by inspectors to be spoiled.
Clean and dirty dishes and utensils were reportedly stored in the same place, and some dishes were kept on unclean surfaces.
Raw chicken was found stored on top of ready-to-eat food in cooler.
The name posted on the building differed from the business name registered for the facility.
Fresh Wok Express Halal was listed as permanently closed on Google as of Thursday. According to Google Maps, the restaurant located at the address on the report is called Kesar Grill and Sweets.
The facility had not been re-inspected by Thursday afternoon.
YD Tofu House, 8991 Folsom Blvd. in Rosemont had 18 violations on Wednesday, April 9.
The Korean restaurant was cited after health inspectors found food held at unsafe temperatures and food products stored incorrectly.
Noodles with vegetables kept outside of refrigeration measured nearly 50 degrees colder than what is considered safe.
Cooked beef, pork and bone soup were also measured outside of the appropriate temperature range.
Various dry food products were stored in uncovered bags and containers.
Kimchi was found being stored inside white garbage bags.
Employees reportedly used duct tape to cover an opening in a food preparation table, and used masking tape to secure a kitchen storage rack.
There were no thermometers inside reach-in coolers, and the facility did not have a probe thermometer available at the time of the inspection. This was a repeat violation.
Personal employee food was reportedly stored in a refrigerator alongside customer food.
The restaurant’s food safety certification and employee food handler cards were not able to be reviewed by inspectors. This was a repeat violation, according to the report.
YD Tofu House had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.
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