Dead rodent, cockroaches and leaky toilets at Sacramento County restaurants
Sacramento County health inspectors closed a local Mexican restaurant and Asian supermarket after discovering leaky toilets, dozens of cockroaches and other food safety violations.
Health inspectors also shut the food-serving area of a Folsom movie theater due to a lack of hot water.
Meanwhile, a total of 11 eateries — including a 7-Eleven convenience store and Chevron gas station — received yellow placards for health code violations ranging from a dead rodent, rice weevils and flies to blocked sinks and “potentially hazardous food” at unsafe temperatures.
While a yellow placard signals two or more major violations, these are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection, according to the Sacramento County Retail 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, spokesman Ken Casparis previously told The Sacramento Bee.
Approximately 1% of inspections result in a closure, he said.
There were the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Wednesday, Nov. 26, through Wednesday, Dec. 3, as of Thursday, Dec. 4.
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
Sacramento supermarket closed for cockroaches
Goldstar Supermarket, 5815 Stockton Blvd. in Sacramento, had one violation on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Sacramento County health inspectors closed the Asian supermarket after discovering 41 German cockroaches in various areas of the market including on the wall by the barbecue drying area and 10 dead nymph and adult cockroaches inside a glue trap.
Goldstar Supermarket had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Dec. 4.
The Sacramento Bee reached out to the store for comment on Thursday, Dec. 4, but employees did not answer the phone.
Folsom movie theater closed due to lack of hot water
Palladio Luxe Cinema, 400 Palladio Parkway in Folsom, had one violation on Monday, Dec. 1.
Health inspectors shut down the food area of the Folsom movie theater due to a lack of hot water.
Palladio Luxe Cinema was reinspected on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and passed with a green placard.
When reached by The Bee on Thursday, Dec. 4, the movie theater’s manager had “no comment” on the health inspection report.
Leaky toilets shut down Mexican restaurant
El Forastero Mexican Food, 850 El Camino Ave. in Sacramento, had nine violations on Monday, Dec. 1.
The Mexican restaurant was closed by health inspectors after they discovered wastewater leaks at both toilet bowls in the men’s and women’s restroom.
The paper towel dispenser at the rear handwashing station was empty.
Tongs were stored directly inside two food containers located in the three-door reach-in cooler.
Additionally, there were multiple uncovered food containers in the cooler and no thermometer was present.
The facility had an unclean microwave.
Cardboard was being used as a cabinet cover over the floor sink, an unapproved use.
The ice machine drain lines lacked the required 1-inch air gap above the floor sink. This was a second repeat violation.
Shredded chicken in the steam table measured outside of proper holding temperatures.
No sanitizer was detected in the sanitation bin.
El Forastero Mexican Food was reinspected on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and passed with a green placard.
The Bee reached out to the restaurant for comment on Thursday, Dec. 4, but employees did not answer the phone.
Sacramento gas station cited for unsafe food
El Centro Chevron, 2738 El Centro Road in Sacramento, had 10 violations on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Health inspectors gave the gas station a yellow placard after cheese pepperoni, ranchero steak and southwest chicken tornadoes on the roller grill measured outside of the temperature range considered safe.
Hot dogs, chicken taquitos and beef taquitos in the walk-in cooler also measured at improper temperatures.
The gas station’s packaged hot foods warmer case was missing its “time as a public health control” label.
The frozen coffee machine had “black residue growth” on the inner nozzles, according to the Nov. 26 report.
Cases of beverages were improperly stored inside one of the two restrooms.
The walk-in fan covers had excess residue, a repeat violation.
The sanitizer test strips were not available at the time of inspection.
El Centro Chevron was reinspected on Saturday, Nov. 29, and passed with a green placard.
‘Potentially hazardous foods’ at sushi restaurant
Ninja Sushi/Rocki’s Chicken, 8937 Folsom Blvd. in Sacramento, had two violations on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
The sushi restaurant was cited by health inspectors after “potentially hazardous foods” including grilled chicken, tuna and crab meat measured outside of proper holding temperatures.
The water at the steam table for holding hot food measured too cold to be considered safe.
Ninja Sushi/Rocki’s Chicken was reinspected on Saturday, Nov. 29 and passed with a green placard.
Mexican restaurant didn’t have food handler cards
Rosa Madera, 7521 West Stockton Blvd., Suite 110, in Sacramento, had 16 violations on Monday, Dec. 1.
Health inspectors gave the Sacramento Mexican restaurant a yellow placard after failing to find paper towels at two hand sinks in the kitchen and the all-gender restroom’s hand sink.
A variety of “potentially hazardous foods” including grilled jalapeños, green onions and potatoes were outside of proper holding temperatures.
The facility’s food safety certificate could not be located upon request. This was a repeat violation.
There were no California food handler cards for seven employees.
A water bottle with a screw-on cap and open cup beverage was stored on the shelves above the preparation tables.
Large containers of cooked steak were improperly cooling on ice for an hour.
There was old syrup accumulation in the soda gun nozzle at the bar.
The kitchen’s hand sink lacked hot water pressure.
Rosa Madera was reinspected on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and passed with a green placard.
Restaurant at Sacramento airport cited for flies
West Coast Sourdough, 6851 Lindbergh Drive, Suite BA 212, in Sacramento, had 10 violations on Monday, Dec. 1.
The Sacramento International Airport sandwich shop received a yellow placard after health inspectors found the bread rack stored directly in front of the hand sink in the main sandwich prep area.
Pasta, tomato soup and clam chowder in the hot holding unit measured improper holding temperatures.
Food handler cards were not available for all the employees.
Inspectors found an employee’s beverage without a lid or straw stored on the shelving with packaged condiments in the back of house and on top of the ice machine.
There were several flies in the front prep area.
West Coast Sourdough was reinspected on Tuesday, Dec. 2, and passed with a green placard.
Excess grease and debris found at Thai restaurant
Bangkok City Thai Cuisine, 1620 West El Camino Ave., Suite 147, in Sacramento, had 14 violations on Monday, Dec. 1.
Health inspectors cited the Sacramento Thai restaurant after a variety of “potentially hazardous foods” including bean sprouts and cut tomatoes measured outside the temperature range considered safe.
Thin rice noodles on the service table were missing documentation indicating time as a public health control.
The restaurant’s food handler cards were incomplete.
Shell eggs were stored above raw vegetables in the three-door refrigerator.
Several areas were unclean with excess “grease, debris/residue,” the Dec. 1 report said, including the ventilation hood filters, the warewashing machine and the floor around the cooks line equipment.
A stack of cardboard was improperly used to prop up one of the prep cooler wheels.
In-use rice scoops were improperly stored in room-temperature water with the pH not properly adjusted.
Bangkok City Thai Cuisine was reinspected on Tuesday, Dec. 2, and passed with a green placard.
Moldy cauliflower, blocked sink at Middle Eastern market
Shinwari Market & Restaurant, 3323 Watt Ave., Suite 111, in Sacramento, had 25 violations on Monday, Dec. 1.
The Middle Eastern restaurant and market was given a yellow placard after health inspectors discovered the handwashing sink was fully blocked with dishes and an outdoor barbecue. This was a second repeat violation.
Lamb measured outside of proper holding temperatures.
An employee was unaware of the proper manual dishwashing practices.
The restaurant’s food manager’s certificate was unavailable at the time of inspection, and California food handler cards were not available for review. The latter was a repeat violation.
There were two “moldy cauliflowers” in the walk-in refrigerator.
The meat bandsaw had “excessive old food debris,” according to the Dec. 1 report. This was a repeat violation.
Hot water at the kitchen’s handwashing sink and two handwashing sinks in a restroom measured too cold to be considered safe.
Inspectors found three dead Turkestan cockroaches in the dry storage room.
Raw chicken was stored over fries in the two-door enhanced freezer by the oven.
A bulk rice shelf was lower than 6 inches off the floor in the bakery prep room.
The facility had scoop handles in direct contact with various dry foods inside the bulk self-service bins. This was a fourth repeat violation.
Shinwari Market & Restaurant was reinspected on Tuesday, Dec. 2, and passed with a green placard.
Lotus Fusión, 1620 West El Camino Ave., Suite 148, in Sacramento, had 12 violations on Monday, Dec. 1.
The Asian restaurant was given a yellow placard after cooked chicken, cooked beef and egg rolls measured outside the temperature range considered safe.
Fried chicken, fried pork and chow mein noodles were at room temperature and missing “time as a public health control” documentation.
The restaurant employees did not demonstrate knowledge of thermometer use and time as a public health control documentation.
The restaurant’s food safety manager certificate was not available.
A frozen container of beef was improperly thawing on the cart by the mop sink.
Used wipe cloths throughout the kitchen had no detectable sanitizer.
Lotus Fusion was reinspected on Tuesday, Dec. 2, and passed with a green placard.
Dead cockroaches, rice weevils at local catering company
The Chew, 14 Business Park Way in Sacramento, had 17 violations on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
The Sacramento catering company was given a yellow placard after health inspectiors found empty paper towel and soap dispensers inside the front left restroom.
The toilet paper dispenser in the restaurant was also empty.
One employee did not have a food handler card.
Milk measured outside of proper holding temperatures.
Inspectors found a container of brisket the counter. The owner said the meat had been cooling at room temperature for an hour.
Inspectors saw two dead Turkestan cockroaches inside the glue trap on the floor by the office, the Dec. 2 report said, and there were “many dead rice weevils” on the shelves of the back storage area and inside bulk rice and flour containers.
A spray bottle with solution on the back prep table lacked a label.
Containers of seasoning were stored on the floor in the kitchen.
The ambient temperature of the two-door reach-in refrigerator measured too warm to be considered safe.
The Chew was reinspected on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and received a green placard.
7-Eleven in Rancho Cordova had clogged sink, unsafe food
7-Eleven, 3251 Sunrise Blvd. in Rancho Cordova, had nine violations on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
The Rancho Cordova convenience store received a yellow placard after health inspectors discovered a lack of hand soap at the handwashing station in the men’s restroom.
Green beans in a glass warmer were in a “temperature danger zone,” according to the Dec. 2 report.
There was old food residue on the can opener tooth.
Below the mop sink was “old stagnant water,” the report said, and the dump sink by the soda machine was clogged
The facility’s Dumpster lid was open.
Toilet paper was stored on top of the dispenser.
7-Eleven was reinspected on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and received a green placard.
Dead rodent, droppings found at Sacramento cafe
Pangaea Cafe, 2743 Franklin Blvd. in Sacramento, had 12 violations on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
Health inspectors cited the Sacramento cafe after failing to find paper towels in one of the two restrooms.
Cheese sauce in a bain-marie measured outside of proper holding temperatures. This was a repeat violation
Health officials found one dead rodent on the snap trap in the water heater closet, and 25 rodent droppings along the far end perimeter of the closet.
The cafe had one expired food handler card and one expired food safety certificate.
There was “debris” on the tooth of the table mounted can opener, the Dec. 3 report said. This was a repeat violation.
Pangaea Cafe had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Dec. 4.
Employee at Sacramento burger joint didn’t wash hands
MF Gyros & Burgers, 4419 Elkhorn Blvd. in Sacramento, had 14 violations on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
The Mediterranean burger restaurant was given a yellow placard after health inspectors observed an employee not washing their hands or replacing gloves after handling phones, unclean dishes and other non-food items before handling food items.
An employee didn’t sanitize a pan after washing it with soap.
An employee lacked knowledge of food safety procedures. This was a repeat violation.
California food handler cards were not available for review.
Health inspectors found one dead adult cockroach on the floor in the front soda machine and cabinet.
Beef was thawing improperly on the table near the freezer.
There were no quaternary ammonia test strips available at the restaurant.
MF Gyros & Burgers had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Dec. 4.
