Hot water and mice droppings. Worst Sacramento restaurant inspections in December
Sacramento County health inspectors closed eight eateries including a local market, movie theater and supermarket due to a lack of hot water, cockroaches and rodent droppings.
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 December.
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at servicejournalists@sacbee.com.
Cockroaches, ‘major leakage’ shut down area eateries
El Forastero Mexican Food
850 El Camino Ave. in Sacramento,
Number of violations: 9
Date: Monday, Dec. 1.
- The Old North Sacramento 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.
Palladio Luxe Cinema
400 Palladio Parkway, Folsom
Number of violations: 1
Date: 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.
Goldstar Supermarket
5815 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento
Number of violations: 1
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 2.
- Sacramento County health inspectors closed the Fruitridge Manor 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 was reinspected on Sunday, Dec. 18.
The Sacramento Bee reached out to the store for comment on Thursday, Dec. 4, but employees did not answer the phone.
Pho Plus 101
6519 Savings Place, Suite 270, Sacramento
Date: Thursday, Dec. 4
Number of violations: 14
- The south Sacramento Vietnamese restaurant was closed by health inspectors because the ware wash sink and dish machine’s hot water was measured below the minimum temperature of 120 degrees.
- The facility had food on the counter and at the food preparation counter past their expiration time which had not been discarded.
- Broth, pork and braised meat were measured at “potentially hazardous” temperatures.
- The restaurant’s food safety certification and food handler cards were unavailable at the time of inspection.
- Frozen foods were improperly thawing at room temperature inside the two-door upright cooler.
- Rice was stored inside a T-shirt print bag in the two-door cooler.
Pho Plus 101 was reinspected on Thursday, Dec. 4, and passed with a green placard.
The Sacramento Bee reached out to the restaurant for comment on Thursday, Dec. 11. Restaurant representatives had no comment on the health inspection report.
StreetZlan
9080 Laguna Main St., Suite 2, Elk Grove
Date: Thursday, Dec. 4
Number of violations: 6
- Health inspectors closed Elk Grove Mexican restaurant after discovering 116 old or dried mice droppings in several areas including on the water heater and on white pan liners. Health inspectors noted there was no active rodent infestation in the restaurant.
- The sanitizer at the dish machine had no detectable sanitizer.
- Several areas were in need of deep cleaning and regular maintenance including fan guards, racks and the wall panel.
- The facility had insufficient lighting inside the walk-in refrigerator.
- There were several holes greater than a quarter-inch on the ceiling panels in the office/storage room, main kitchen near the pipes and in the prep area.
StreetZlan was reinspected on Friday, Dec. 5, and passed with a green placard.
The Sacramento Bee reached out to the restaurant for comment on Thursday, Dec. 11.
Eric Silva, owner of StreetZlan, told the Sacramento Bee via phone that the droppings were found in storage areas, away from food, and everything was taken care of immediately. StreetZlan was fully operating as of Thursday, Dec. 11.
Icicles
1431 Howe Ave., Suite 200, Sacramento
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 10
Number of violations: 13
- The Arden Arcade ice cream shop received a red placard due to a lack of hot water at the hand sink in the food preparation area and both restroom hand sinks. Health inspectors found two expired food handler cards in the facility.
- The ice cream shop’s ware washing room lacked a hand soap dispenser. This was a repeat violation.
- Cheesecake chunks were outside of proper holding temperature.
- A dead German cockroach nymph was on the floor below the three-compartment sink.
- A spray bottle with unidentified liquid contents was at the ware wash area.
- Health inspectors found a container of a “white dried good” on the rack near the washing machine area.
Icicles was reinspected on Wednesday, Dec. 17. The Sacramento Bee reached out to the ice cream shop for comment on Thursday, Dec. 11. Restaurant representatives did not answer the phone.
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.
American Way Market
401 West El Camino Ave., Sacramento
Number of violations: 5
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 30
- Sacramento County health inspectors gave a red placard to the Gardenland market after finding “excessive amounts of rodent droppings,” in several areas including shelves in the middle retail aisles, sink basins and along the floors in front of the retail refrigerators.
- The facility had deteriorated wood flooring inside the walk-in cooler.
- Lights were out inside the one-door refrigerator.
- The facility had excessive old boxes, cardboard, paper/debris and miscellaneous items.
- There were gaps and holes along the bottom of both front entrance doors.
American Way Market had yet to be reinspected as of Monday, Jan. 12.
The Sacramento Bee reached out to the market for comment on Monday, Jan. 12. Restaurant representatives did not answer the phone.
This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 6:00 AM.
