100 dead ants, ‘gray-colored residue’ found at Sacramento-area restaurants
Sacramento County health inspectors closed a local cake shop due to a “major leakage.”
Meanwhile, eight restaurants — including a local Taco Bell, a taquería and burger spot — received yellow placards for health code violations ranging from “approximately 100 ants,” a lack of sanitizers and “mold” on refrigerator racks.
What do these inspections mean?
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.
These were the results of Sacramento County food facility inspections for Thursday, Dec. 11, through Wednesday, Dec. 17 as of Thursday, Dec. 18.
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
Business temporarily closed by health inspectors
Cakes By Jeff The Chef
405 K St., Suite 210, Sacramento
Number of violations: 6
Date: Monday, Dec. 15
- Sacramento County health inspectors gave the downtown dessert shop a red placard after they discovered a “major leakage,” at the three-compartment sink. The leakage meant the facility was unable to sanitize utensils and equipment sufficiently.
- One piece of cheesecake stored on the stand in display cooler was measured outside of proper holding temperature.
- The display cooler and chest freezer had a buildup of ice.
- The three compartment sink was missing a regular faucet with a spigot.
- The facility’s discharge pipe was removed under the prep sink.
- The food safety certificate was not available.
Cakes By Jeff The Chef was reinspected on Monday, Dec. 15 and passed with a green placard.
Owner Jeff Taylor told the Sacramento Bee the leakage was a minor disruption and the shop was closed for just “two to three hours.” He said it is now fully operational.
‘Blackish debris’ and a fly strip over a prep table earn citations
Taco Bell
5625 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento
Number of violations: 5
Date: Thursday, Dec. 11
- Health inspectors cited the fast food chain after discovering no paper towels in the first restroom and the back unit handwashing stations. Additionally, the back unit handwashing station was obstructed by a mop bucket.
- Pizza sauce, breakfast chicken, cooked beans, refried beans and red rice were observed out of proper holding temperature.
- The facility’s manager’s food safety certificate was not available for review.
- California food handler cards were not available for review.
- Several areas had old food debris/grime including behind the fountain drinks machine, inside the floor drain and “blackish debris” on the wall by the three-compartment sinks.
The East Sacramento Taco Bell was reinspected on Friday, Dec. 12 and passed with a green placard.
Capital General Store
1017 Second St., Sacramento
Number of violations: 3
Date: Friday, Dec. 12
- The Old Sacramento general store received a yellow placard from health inspectors after finding the hand sink next to the ice cream station blocked by a cup and scoop.
- The facility’s ware washing sink was blocked by “construction materials,” according to the report.
Capital General Store was reinspected on Tuesday, Dec. 16 and passed with a green placard.
California Burrito
7858 Lichen Drive, Citrus Heights
Number of violations: 7
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 16
- Sacramento County health inspectors gave the Mexican food chain a yellow placard after they discovered a lack of paper towels available at the handwashing sink in the back area.
- Taco meat and chicken were at improper hot holding temperatures.
- The fries for burritos were not being tracked with “time as public health control.” This is a repeat violation and the fries were discarded voluntarily.
- A CO2 cylinder in the facility was not secured with rigid structure.
- The monitoring thermometer was missing in the reach-in refrigerators.
- The sanitizer at the prep table had no detectable sanitizer
- The facility had broken and missing tiles on the floor in the kitchen.
California Burrito was reinspected on Wednesday, Dec. 17 and passed with a green placard.
Tokyo Express
4005 Manzanita Ave., Suite 4, Carmichael
Number of violations: 16
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 16
- Health inspectors cited the Carmichael Japanese restaurant after they found the paper towel dispenser unable to dispense paper towels for the restroom closet to the kitchen.
- The facility’s shrimp was outside of proper holding temperature.
- The restaurant was missing a food manager’s certificate and all of its employees’ food handler cards.
- Health inspectors found “gray-colored residue” inside the ice machine, according to the report.
- There were “approximately 100 dead ants” on top of the soap dispenser. And health inspectors found one dead nymph cockroach on the floor underneath the ware washing sink and one dead nymph on a sheet pan/shelf holding dry goods on a speed rack
- A squeeze bottle of soap in an old sriracha bottle was missing a label.
Tokyo Express had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Dec. 18.
La Mini Birrieria
2650 Northgate Blvd., Sacramento
Number of violations: 12
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 17
- Health officials gave the Gardenland Mexican restaurant a yellow placard after they found rice sealed in a gallon zip-lock bag in the walk-in that was “made yesterday,” according to the report.
- The facility’s equipment was washed and rinsed without sanitizing as the final step.
- Employees did not demonstrate knowledge of proper ware washing procedures.
- The restaurant’s food handler cards were expired and incomplete.
- An overstock of beef taquitos were outside of proper holding temperature.
- A case of raw eggs were found stored above salsas in the walk-in.
La Mini Birrieria had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Dec. 18.
Burger Hub
3315 Northgate Blvd., Sacramento
Number of violations: 11
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 17
- Health inspectors cited the Northgate restaurant after they discovered an employee with gloves, pick up raw meat to place on the grill and continued to contact a container, meat press handle and go towards the burger cold top station without removing gloves and washing their hands.
- Sanitizer was not available in the facility.
- Grilled onions were held on the rail with no temperature control.
- The nozzle to the strawberry watermelon tea had residue.
- The facility’s food safety manager certificate was missing at time of inspection.
Burger Hub had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Dec. 18.
Highland Chinese Restaurant
4347 Elkhorn Blvd., Sacramento
Number of violations: 12
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 17
- The Foothill Farms Chinese restaurant received a yellow placard for having chicken held at improper holding temperature.
- There was “old meat/debris” on a meat slicer that was “already cleaned,” according to the report.
- The restaurant’s employee drinks, in unapproved cups, were on the prep table in the kitchen.
- Health inspectors found an employee wiping his hands on unclean towels.
- Bean sprouts and fried chicken were at improper holding temperatures.
- There were unclean knives and peelers stored with clean utensils.
Highland Chinese Restaurant had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Dec. 18.
El Rey Carniceria Y Taqueria
5839 Manzanita Ave., Suite 2, Carmichael
Number of violations: 9
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 17
- Health inspectors cited the Carmichael taqueria due to a lack of paper towels available at the prep area hand sink.
- Beef on a cart measured outside of proper holding temperatures and the beef was left out of the refrigerator less than “an hour,” according to the report.
- Menudo in the walk-in refrigerator had a “grease layer over the food,” according to the report.
- The facility did not have all the food handler cards available at the time of inspection.
- There were onions on the floor in the sales area.
- Health inspectors observed “mold” on the racks in the walk-in refrigerator.
- There was no probe thermometer available at the facility.
- Health inspectors found that the toilet water in the restroom “does not turn off,” according to the report.
- A fly strip was hung over the prep table.
El Rey Carniceria Y Taqueria had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Dec. 18.
