147 rodent droppings, 100 cockroaches. What else closed Sacramento restaurants?
Sacramento County health inspectors closed four eateries including a Chang’s Chinese Cuisine after finding about 147 rodent droppings in the facility.
Meanwhile, five eateries received citations for health code violations including old food debris, a lack of hand soap and improperly cooled rice.
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 Thursday, March 26, through Wednesday, April 1, as of Thursday, April 2. If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
Businesses temporarily closed by health inspectors
Sumer Nights
2316 Watt Ave., Sacramento
Number of violations: 7
Date: Thursday, March 26
- Sacramento County Health Inspectors gave a red placard to the Arden Arcade Mediterranean eatery after discovering three live nymph cockroaches in the facility and 10 dead cockroaches on the tape holding a ware washing sign.
- Health inspectors no detectable sanitizer in the ware washing sink.
- The facility’s paper towel dispenser was missing at the server’s station.
- The facility had old food debris on the ground underneath the bulk soda syrup storage room.
Sumer Nights was reinspected on Friday, March 27 and passed with a green placard.
The Sacramento Bee reached out to the business for comment, but no manager was on site.
Lemon Grass Restaurant
601 Munroe St., Sacramento
Number of violations: 1
Date: Thursday, March 26
- Health inspectors temporarily closed the Arden Manor Thai restaurant after finding about 100 dead and alive cockroaches in the facility including on the floors under the tin cat trap and on the wall behind the cold-top cooler.
Lemon Grass Restaurant was reinspected on Friday, March 27 and passed with a green placard.
The Bee reached out to the restaurant for comment but no representative answered the phone.
Snowbee Tea Station
6905 Stockton Blvd., Suite 250, Sacramento
Number of violations: 2
Date: Monday, March 30
- Health inspectors gave a red placard to the Florin tea shop after discovering four live and dying German cockroaches in the facility including inside a reused cardboard box storing sauce bottles, under the prep table and under the handwash sink.
- Cardboard was reused to store sauce bottles and as a liner under the prep table.
Snowbee Tea Station had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, April 2.
The Bee reached out to the shop for comment but no representative answered the phone.
Chang’s Chinese Cuisine
2711 Del Paso Road, Suite 120, Sacramento
Number of violations: 7
Date: Wednesday, April 1
- Health inspectors gave a red placard to the Creekside Chinese restaurant after finding 147 rodent droppings in various areas of the facility including below the fryers, on the bottom shelf of the prep counter and on the floor inside the nonfunctional walk-in refrigerator.
- The food storage in the walk-in freezer was unorganized.
- The facility had an unclean cutting board behind the three compartment sink.
- Old food debris was found on the floor beneath the cooking equipment.
Chang’s Chinese Cuisine had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, April 2.
The Bee reached out to the restaurant for comment, but the number had been disconnected.
Sacramento restaurants cited for slimy debris and [horror]
Citrus Cafe and Bakery
6240 San Juan Ave., Suite D, Citrus Heights
Number of violations: 7
Date: Thursday, March 26
- Health inspectors cited the Citrus Heights cafe after finding an employee sanitizing dishes no detectable sanitizer inside the three compartment sink. The employee stated she had forgotten to add sanitizer.
- The facility had no toilet paper inside the restroom.
- The fan guards inside the walk-in cooler had an accumulation of dust.
- The exhaust hood had two burnt out lights.
Citrus Cafe and Bakery was reinspected on Friday, March 27 and passed with a green placard.
Smile Food Market
9545 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento
Number of violations: 12
Date: Friday, March 27
- Health inspectors cited the Riviera market after finding the handwashing station lacking hand paper towels and hand soap.
- The facility’s food safety certification expired.
- The ice machine had a heavy presence of slimy debris.
- The facility’s spray bottle was missing a label.
Smile Food Market was reinspected on Monday, March 30 and passed with a green placard.
Raising Cane’s Restaurants
9164 East Stockton Blvd., Elk Grove
Number of violations: 3
Date: Monday, March 30
- Health inspectors cited the chicken chain after finding a single-valve handwash station above the proper hot water temperature.
- The all-gender restroom had no toilet paper.
- The freezer’s fan guards had ice accumulation.
Raising Cane’s Restaurant was reinspected on Wednesday, April 1 and passed with a green placard.
International Mediterranean Market
9261 Folsom Blvd., Suite 100, Sacramento
Number of violations: 15
Date: Monday, March 30
- Health inspectors cited the Riviera Mediterranean grocer and restaurant after finding no handwashing soap and paper towels at the kitchen’s main handwashing station.
- No food manager certificate nor the facility’s California food handler cards were available
- Old food debris was found the meat slicer blade and the prep top of the meat slicing machine.
- Frozen raw lamb was stored in the employee freezer.
International Mediterranean Market was reinspected on Wednesday, April 2 and passed with a green placard.
El Dios Huichol
610 West El Camino Ave., Sacramento
Number of violations: 13
Date: Wednesday, April 1
- Health inspectors cited the River Gardens Latino eatery after finding large bags of rice overstuffed in a container improperly cooling.
- The facility’s food handler cards were incomplete.
- Health inspectors found four beetles in a bulk container of maseca.
- Consumer advisory was not available for the oysters or ceviche.
El Dios Huichol had yet to be reinspected as of Thursday, April 2.
