Dead cockroaches near the soda machine? What closed Sacramento-area restaurants
Sacramento County health inspectors closed a local Asian restaurant, indoor soccer business and a market after discovering live German cockroaches, operating without a valid health permit and other food safety violations.
Meanwhile, a total of 12 eateries received yellow placards for health code violations ranging from rodent droppings, dead German cockroaches and “potentially hazardous food” at unsafe temperatures.
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 and about 97% of establishments pass, 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 Friday, Jan. 2, through Wednesday, Jan. 7, as of Thursday, Jan. 8.
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
Businesses temporarily closed by health inspectors
New Asian Cajun 2
8121 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks
Number of violations: 12
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 6
- Sacramento County health inspectors gave the Fair Oaks Asian restaurant a red placard after they discovered five live German cockroaches under and behind the two-door refrigerator.
- Cooked egg noodles, made two days prior to inspection, were stored in a reach-in refrigerator measured below proper temperatures. The product was voluntarily discarded
- The walk-in refrigerator had old food accumulation on the shelving units.
- A fly ribbon hung directly above the prep table.
- The facility had different meats — including uncooked chicken, beef and fish — stored together in a chest freezer.
- Several bulk food containers lacked labels.
New Asian Cajun 2 was reinspected on Wednesday, Jan 7 and received an additional red placard for live and dead cockroaches in the facility. The restaurant had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Jan 8.
The Sacramento Bee reached out to New Asian Cajun 2 on Thursday, Jan. 8, but could not reach a representative of the business.
99 Plus Mart
6665 Stockton Blvd., Suite 2, Sacramento
Number of violations: 1
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 6
- Health inspectors gave a red placard to a convenience store after discovering the facility was operating without a valid health permit.
99 Plus Mart was reinspected the same day and received a green placard by health inspectors.
The Sacramento Bee reached out to 99 Plus Mart on Thursday, Jan. 8, but could not reach a representative of the store.
Soccer World
9756 Kent St., Suite 110, Elk Grove
Number of violations: 10
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7
- Sacramento County health inspectors gave a red placard to the indoor soccer field after finding no hot water in the facility.
- The facility’s two hand sinks in the kitchen were blocked by empty syrup bottles, used rags and boxes.
- A food safety certification was unavailable for review.
- Health inspectors found old rodent droppings under the three-compartment ware washing sink and dry storage area. There was no evidence of an active infestation.
- Reused cardboard was being used as a liner on a shelf for dry goods.
Soccer World was reinspected the same day and passed with a green placard.
A Soccer World representative said the issue was fixed within 10 to 15 minutes and the facility is fully operating the same day of inspection.
Businesses issued warnings by health inspectors
Cockroaches and rodent droppings found in Sacramento-area eateries
Taco Express
6368 Power Inn Road, Sacramento
Number of violations: 19
Date: Friday, Jan. 2.
- Sacramento County health inspectors gave a yellow placard to the Glen Elder Mexican chain after finding a container of cooked chili and onion measured below proper holding temperature.
- Two big containers of par-cooked potato strips were not being tracked with “time as public health control.”
- The operator did not have adequate knowledge of the final cooking temperature for chicken.
- The facility had four expired food handler cards. This was a repeat violation.
- A moldy tomato was found inside the walk-in cooler.
- The can opener tooth had old food debris.
- Two bus tubs of frozen raw meat were thawing at room temperature on the prep table. This was an improper thawing method.
- Raw ground meat was stored on top of a sliced raw pork belly in the walk-in cooler.
- Spray bottles with chemical solution lacked labels.
Taco Express was reinspected on Monday, Jan. 5 and passed with a green placard.
Carmelita’s Restaurant
4071 Howard St., Fair Oaks
Number of violations: 2
Date: Friday, Jan. 2
- Health inspectors gave a yellow placard to the Mexican restaurant after discovering a large tray of pork chile verde, a 2.5 liter container of shredded chicken and one and a half five-liter containers of cooked beans improperly cooling in the walk-in refrigerator.
- Frozen raw shrimp was improperly thawing in water that was not running.
Carmelita’s Restaurant was reinspected on Monday, Jan. 5, and passed with a green placard.
House Kitchen & Bar
555 Capitol Mall #55, Sacramento
Number of violations: 11
Date: Friday, Jan. 2
- Health inspectors cited the downtown American restaurant after finding the bar hand sink blocked by strainer.
- Cooked chicken, grilled bell pepper and grilled onions in the counter cooler were measured above proper holding temperature.
- After running, the bar dish machine had no detectable sanitizer — meaning it wasn’t properly working to clean the glasses.
- The facility had no food safety certificate available for review.
- Food handler cards were unavailable for review at time of inspection.
House Kitchen & Bar was reinspected on Monday, Jan. 5 and received an additional yellow placard for improper holding of potentially hazardous foods. The restaurant had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Jan. 8.
Pho Hoang Vietnamese
1624 Broadway, Sacramento
Number of violations: 22
Date: Monday, Jan. 5
- Sacramento County health inspectors cited the Land Park Vietnamese restaurant after discovering a lack of paper towels at the handwashing station at the two-compartment sink and drink station.
- Egg rolls and cooked noodles were measured above proper holding temperatures.
- The facility had dishes and equipment washed in an automatic dish machine without any sanitizer.
- Health inspectors found 24 rodent droppings in several areas including under the automatic dish machine, behind the upright freezer and behind the prep table. Additionally, there were “gnaw mark-like patterns” on torn tubing for the sanitizer line at the dish machine.
- The health inspector interviewed an employee on food safety and the employee lacked adequate knowledge on thawing methods, wiping cloth solution and other areas relating to assigned duties.
- The facility’s California food handler cards were not available for review.
- Health inspectors observed improper cooling of cooked chicken.
- The facility had “black, pink and white residue build-up” on the internal parts and walls of the ice machine.
- A person in charge was not present at the start of the inspection.
- The ice scoop was directly on top of the ice machine.
Pho Hoang Vietnamese was reinspected on Tuesday, Jan. 6 and passed with a green placard.
Taqueria La Puerta
4391 Gateway Park Blvd., Sacramento
Number of violations: 15
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 6
- Health inspectors gave a yellow placard to the Village 5 taqueria after finding a tray of beans improperly cooling inside the walk-in refrigerator.
- The facility was using improper reheating procedures for rice and beans.
- The facility had no manager food safety certificate available.
- A water bottle with an unapproved screw-top lid was stored in improper areas.
- One tray of frozen fish was improperly thawing on the prep counter.
Taqueria La Puerta was reinspected on Wednesday, Jan. 7 and passed with a green placard.
International Food Creations
2760 East Bidwell St., Folsom
Number of violations: 3
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 6
- Health inspectors gave the Folsom eatery a yellow placard after discovering no soap available at the hand sink in the ware wash area.
- The facility uses time as a public health control for items held for service in steam table, but there was indication that the food was being properly tracked.
- Several pieces of equipment were non-operational and had food debris and residue on it.
International Food Creations was reinspected on Wednesday, Jan. 7 and passed with a green placard.
Ruby Thai Kitchen
1689 Arden Way, Suite 2030, Sacramento
Number of violations: 8
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 6
- Sacramento County health inspectors cited the Arden Fair Thai eatery after finding mixed vegetables, honey chicken and mango chicken at improper holding temperatures.
- Health inspectors observed an employee washing a contaminated cutting board at the three-compartment sink without using proper sanitizer.
- The ice machine had black mold-like residue.
- A food container was stacked directly on another food container without a barrier, resulting in improper nesting of food.
- Clean pans were stored on an unapproved dirty drainage board.
- The facility had unsanitary tape on the faucet sprayer.
- The faucet at the three-compartment sink was unclean with oil residue.
- The floors behind the deep fryer had excessive oil and oil spill leakage.
Ruby Thai Kitchen had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Jan. 8.
Tuk Tuk Thai Street Food
1600 Ethan Way, Suite 70, Sacramento
Number of violations: 14
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7
- Health inspectors gave the Arden Arcade Thai eatery a yellow placard after finding cooked peanut sauce, raw shelled eggs and ground pork held at improper holding temperatures.
- Cooked green curry and yellow curry were not being tracked properly by “time as a public health control.”
- The sanitization step was skipped during ware washing.
- Employees lacked food safety knowledge in several areas including holding temperatures, proper sanitizing of food contact surfaces and proper ware washing.
- Two open drinks and one twist cap water bottle was found in the kitchen on the food preparation areas.
- Several containers holding open food had no lids.
- A bag of sugar was found stored on the floor across the ware washing area.
Tuk Tuk Thai Street Food had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Jan. 8.
Fire Wings
1700 15th St., Sacramento
Number of violations: 12
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7
- Health inspectors cited the downtown wing eatery after finding cooked noodles held out of proper holding temperature.
- Boneless tenders and cooked vegetables were not being properly tracked with “time as a public health control.”
- The facility lacked an employee with a California Food Safety Manager Certification.
- The facility was improperly cooling cooked chicken on a speed rack.
- A red cutting board on a shelf had debris.
- Health inspectors found 25 dead German cockroaches in the facility.
Fire Wings had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Jan. 8.
YD Tofu House
8991 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento
Number of violations: 18
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7
- Health inspectors gave a yellow placard to the Korean restaurant after finding several side dishes including bean sprouts, cooked fish paste and broccoli above proper holding temperatures.
- A container of cooked small fishes were observed at room temperature.
- A giant pot of soup was observed inside the walk-in cooler for cooling with the lid covered. This is an improper method for cooling.
- One employee did not have a food handler card.
- The facility had open cups of employee drinks on a rack inside the food storage room.
- A meat slicer blade had old food debris build up.
- A container of lettuce was nested on beef tendon.
- A pot of raw onions was stored on the floor by the main cook line.
- A bottle of clear solution was lacking a label.
YD Tofu House had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, Jan. 8.
I Love Teriyaki Marconi
2617 Marconi Ave., Arden Arcade
Number of violations: 19
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7
- Sacramento County health officials gave the sushi eatery a yellow placard after finding dozens of dead German cockroaches and cockroach fecal matter throughout the restaurant. They were discovered in various areas, including underneath a customer soda machine, behind a refrigerator and above a prep sink.
- Three servings of California rolls were discarded when they were found without proper time documentation indicating how long they had been left out of refrigeration.
- The dishwasher was unable to properly sanitize wares, meaning employees needed to handwash until it was repaired.
- A walk-in refrigerator’s ambient temperature measured to warm to be considered safe. Chicken in the refrigerator was also above proper temperatures.
- Hot water at a preparation sink, a ware washing sink and a ware washing machine were colder than is required for cleaning.
- The restaurant reportedly had no employee food handlers’ cards or a food safety manager certificate on the premises.
- Inspectors noted a household microwave was kept on the cook’s line.
- The restaurant’s health permit was expired at the time of the inspection, according to the report. This was a repeat violation.
I Love Teriyaki Marconi had not been re-inspected as of Thursday, Jan. 8.
Pita R Us
2690 East Bidwell St., Suite 300, Folsom
Number of violations: 13
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 7
- The Mediterranean grill was cited by county inspectors after gyro meat on its rotisserie measured more than 60 degrees colder than is considered safe for hot food.
- A hand sink was not operable, as it was not able to drain water.
- The two-door refrigerator under a burner was not operable. Chicken in the fridge measured above the proper temperature range.
- The ambient temperature of a walk-in refrigerator was above safe levels, and milk stored inside was also too warm.
- A can of household Raid insecticide was kept inside the restaurant.
- Two pieces of equipment, a six-burner range and a small deep fryer, had been installed without proper county approvals.
- The restaurant reportedly had no food safety manager and had no record of employee food handler cards. These were fourth repeat violations.
- Its health permit was expired at the time of the inspection, according to the report.
Pita R Us had not been re-inspected as of Thursday, Jan. 8.
This story was originally published January 9, 2026 at 6:00 AM.
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