Sacramento boba shop with more than 160 cockroaches closed by inspectors
A chain boba tea shop and a Southern brunch restaurant chain were closed by Sacramento County health inspectors for cockroaches, with one of the restaurants having more than 160 roaches.
A Sacramento elementary school was issued a yellow placard by county inspectors for not heating food enough. Five other eateries had multiple food safety violations
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.
Here are the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Thursday, April 17, through Wednesday, April 23, 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.
Two chain restaurants shut down for cockroach infestations — one had over 150 roaches
Ume Tea Sacramento, 7235 Franklin Blvd., Suite 4, in south Sacramento, had 10 violations on Thursday, April 17.
The bubble tea chain, which has locations across California — as well as in Arizona and the Chicago area — was closed by county inspectors due to a significant cockroach infestation.
More than 160 German live and dead cockroaches were found throughout the facility, including underneath a rack storing tea leaves and near a drink take-out area.
There was “heavy grease and old food accumulation” in some of the areas where cockroaches were found, the report stated.
A container of milk mochi was stored outside of refrigeration without a time monitoring label. This was a second repeat violation.
A reach-in cooler did not have a thermometer to measure the ambient temperature.
The tea shop had a new cold-water sink installed without the county health department’s approval, which had already been a violation during multiple prior inspections.
A food manager certificate was not available for health inspectors to review, and the facility’s posted health permit was not current at the time of the inspection. These were both repeat violations.
Ume Tea Sacramento was re-inspected and permitted to open on Friday, April 18.
A Sacramento Bee reporter was not able to reach the restaurant for comment Thursday afternoon.
Huckleberry’s, 9647 Micron Ave. in the Rosemont neighborhood, had 10 violations on Monday, April 21.
County officials closed the Micron Avenue location of the Southern-inspired brunch chain for a cockroach infestation.
Roughly 15 living and dead cockroaches were found in the kitchen and in food storage areas.
Various cold foods kept in a cold top, including ranch dressing, tomatoes, cheese and egg wash, measured warmer than what is considered safe. Inspectors noted in the report that employees should keep the cold top lids shut whenever they aren’t inserting or removing food.
“Mold-like growth” was seen on an interior food-contact part of an ice machine, according to the inspection report. This was a second repeat violation.
Cutting boards were being stored on the floor near a food storage rack.
Employees stored raw chicken over huckleberries in a freezer.
Huckleberry’s passed re-inspection on Tuesday, April 22.
A Sacramento Bee reporter was unable to reach a representative for the restaurant Thursday afternoon.
Elementary school cited by inspectors for improperly reheating food
Sai Varee Thai Cuisine, 7485 Rush River Drive, Suite 770, in Sacramento’s Pocket neighborhood, had six violations on Thursday, April 17.
The Thai restaurant was issued a citation for mold and having an improperly cooled refrigeration unit. The yellow placard came two weeks after the restaurant was temporarily shut down for a plumbing issue.
A cardboard box that was in contact with celery and daikon radish had “extensive white colored mold,” according to the report.
The walk-in cooler’s ambient temperature and all food stored inside were measured too warm to be deemed safe.
Multiple food containers inside the walk-in cooler were not covered.
A hand-washing sink at the cook’s line was blocked by a pitcher stored in the basin. This was a third repeat violation.
Wet and dry wiping cloths around the facility did not have any measurable sanitizer.
Sai Varee Thai Cuisine was re-inspected and issued a green placard on Friday, April 18.
Mizuki Sushi, 5500 Sunrise Blvd., Suite 500, in Citrus Heights, had eight violations on Friday, April 18.
The Japanese restaurant was given a yellow placard after inspectors found multiple repeat health code violations.
Both hand-washing sinks in the kitchen were blocked by equipment stored in the sink basins.
A rice scoop was found stored in warm, stagnant water next to a rice warmer.
Chicken potstickers, eel and edamame were measured outside safe temperature ranges.
Inspectors noted the interior of the restaurant’s ice machine was dirty.
Mizuki Sushi passed a re-inspection on Tuesday, April 22.
Greer Elementary School, 1300 Bell St. in Arden Arcade, had six violations on Monday, April 21.
The San Juan Unified School District elementary school cafeteria was cited for having “potentially hazardous food” at improper temperatures and not reheating food correctly.
Several cheese pizzas measured about 10 degrees colder than the required temperature. When a manager was notified, they did not reheat it to a sufficient temperature after using an improperly calibrated thermometer.
Two manual thermometers in the kitchen were not properly calibrated, according to the report.
Inspectors found two trays of taquitos stacked directly on top of other taquito trays inside a hot-holding unit.
Greer Elementary School’s cafeteria was issued a green placard after a re-inspection on Tuesday, April 22.
Peony Palace, 10058 Bruceville Road in Elk Grove, had nine violations on Tuesday, April 22.
Inspectors gave the Chinese and Mongolian restaurant a yellow placard for mold-like growth and food kept at incorrect temperatures.
An interior part of an ice machine had “black mold-like accumulation,” the report read.
Multiple fried foods kept out of refrigeration, including chicken, pork and egg rolls, were thrown away because they did not have the proper time monitoring label and measured outside of the proper temperature range.
Liquid eggs, fried chow mein and bean sprouts were measured at temperatures considered unsafe.
The kitchen’s hand-washing sink was blocked from use by a trash can.
The food manager’s certificate and all employee food handler cards were expired at the time of the report.
Peony Palace was re-inspected and given a green placard on Thursday, April 24.
Falafel Corner, 7897 Walerga Road, Suite 117, in Antelope, had 13 violations on Tuesday, April 22.
The Northern California falafel chain was cited for unsafe hygiene practices and for keeping food at unsafe temperatures.
A gloved employee reportedly began preparing food after using the cashier station without washing their hands or changing gloves in between.
Pieces of fried falafel in a warmer that was not operating measured nearly 60 degrees below safe holding temperatures, according to food safety standards.
An employee’s food plate was found stored on top of disposable utensils.
A set of tongs used to handle raw chicken was seen stored next to a bag of raw ground beef.
Frozen raw chicken was improperly thawing on a preparation counter outside of refrigeration.
The health permit posted at the restaurant at the time of the inspection was expired.
Falafel Corner received a green placard after a successful re-inspection on Wednesday, April 23.
Hibachi Sushi Buffet & Grill, 5623 Sunrise Blvd. in Citrus Heights, had 13 violations on Tuesday, April 22.
The all-you-can-eat Asian eatery was issued a yellow placard for holding food at unsafe temperatures and improper food storage.
Uncooked pork was found stored on the floor in a walk-in freezer, and an employee was seen walking over it. Other foods in plastic containers were found on the floor in a preparation area and in walk-in refrigerators and freezers.
Multiple potentially hazardous foods were measured outside the temperature range considered safe. This was a repeat violation.
Honeydew, cantaloupe and edamame in the restaurant’s buffet did not have a time expiration label.
A hand sink in the food preparation area was “blocked completely” from use, which was a repeat violation, according to the report.
Hibachi Sushi Buffet & Grill was re-inspected and given a green placard on Wednesday, April 23.
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