Cockroaches, grease and trash: See latest Sacramento County restaurant inspections
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Sacramento County health inspectors closed a local Hawaiian barbecue restaurant this week after discovering German cockroaches, old food debris, trash and grease.
In addition, eight food-serving businesses received yellow placards for violations including dirty floors, improperly stored food and black slime buildup in a ice machine.
A yellow placard signals two or more major violations, according to the Sacramento County Food Inspection Guide. These are typically corrected or mitigated during the inspection.
A red placard 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 the inspection.
The county conducts roughly 14,000 inspections a year, and 97% of all restaurants pass their inspections, spokesman Ken Casparis previously told The Bee. About 1% of inspections result in a closure.
Health inspectors closed two Sacramento County eateries — Serritella’s in Carmichael and Pho Saigon Bay in Sacramento — last week due to cockroach infestations.
Serritella’s reopened on March 20, while Pho Saigon Bay reopened on March 21.
Here are the Sacramento County food facility inspections for March 21 through Wednesday, as of noon Thursday:
If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email Sacramento Bee reporter Jacqueline Pinedo at jpinedo@sacbee.com. The Bee will publish weekly updates on health inspections across Sacramento County.
Sacramento County health inspectors close Hawaiian restaurant
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, 5629 Stockton Blvd. in Sacramento, had nine violations on Monday.
Health inspectors spotted German cockroaches in multiple places on Monday, including behind sinks, next to the back door and next to the hot water heater.
Inspectors also “observed evidence of dead German cockroaches of various life cycles — adult, egg sack, nymphs” at a water heater, on the floor under dry storage and under a preparation sink, the report said.
Raw chicken and gravy were outside of proper holding temperatures, according to the inspection report.
“Old food debris, trash, grease and oil accumulation” was seen under the cook’s line, a prep station, the front customer service area and stand-up freezers, according to the report.
The report also mentions that the restaurant is skipping a critical step in sanitation.
The restaurant was also using an unapproved household rice cooker, and bowls and plastic containers to scoop food.
The Hawaiian chain restaurant was reinspected on Wednesday and received a green placard.
The Sacramento Bee reached out to the restaurant for comment, but had not received a reply as of Thursday afternoon.
Eight local restaurants cited for health violations
The following Sacramento County restaurants had violations the week of March. 21 through March 27, resulting in a conditional pass.
Only the dates of violations are listed. Most restaurants fully pass reinspection within 72 hours. The reports are linked. For updates on individual restaurants, you can search the EMD website here.
Fire Wings, 1229 Howe Ave. in Sacramento, had five violations on March 22.
Foods were at improper holding temperatures, according to the March 22 report.
The restaurant was reinspected on Monday and received a green placard.
SJ Market Dollar Plus, 2541 Del Paso Blvd. in Sacramento, had eight violations on Wednesday.
A household microwave was being used in the market, according to the Wednesday report.
Inspectors also observed “raw shelled eggs and raw bacon stored over milk and cheese in a glass refrigerator,” according to the report.
The market had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.
Seapot, 6009 Florin Road in Sacramento, had 22 violations on Wednesday.
A half container of cut tomato and a container of cooked pig stomach were outside of proper holding temperatures on Wednesday, according to the report.
The prep sink was filled with raw oysters but inspectors didn’t see shellfish tags on them, Wednesday’s report said.
The teeth of a can opener had old food debris on it, according to the report.
Inspectors saw grease accumulation in various locations in the Korean barbecue restaurant, including the floor beneath the second cook line, beneath storage racks, beneath the ice machine and inside the walk in cooler.
Ice scoops were stored on top of an ice machine, the report said, and a personal phone charger was resting on a meat slicer.
The restaurant had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.
Chevron Extra Mile, 9401 Madison Ave. in Orangevale, had one violation on Wednesday.
Inspectors observed a “broken cove base tile” around the retail area, according to the report.
The gas station had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.
Dos Coyote Border Cafe, 1735 Arden Way in Sacramento, had seven violations on Wednesday.
Inspectors didn’t see soap or paper towels at the hand sink during “active food preparation,” according to Wednesday’s report.
Additionally, the dishwasher did not have chlorine sanitizer despite being run “at least five times,” the report said.
Black beans were being improperly cooled, and there was an open drink was on the cook’s line prep area.
The restaurant had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.
Burger Junction, 7900 Florin Road in Sacramento, had 15 violations on Tuesday.
Raw turkey was seen outside of its proper holding temperatures, according to Tuesday’s report.
Inspectors observed large amounts of leftover meat on the meat slicer, as well as an employee was washing their hands with no soap after handling raw meat.
“Raw meat was located next to ready to serve food without proper barrier on cold prep top,” the report said, while shelled eggs were stored above mushrooms and raw chicken above raw meat in a walk-in cooler.
The burger restaurant had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.
Der Biergarten, 2332 K St. in Sacramento, had 12 violations on Tuesday.
Hand-washing stations were without soap during Tuesday’s inspection.
A deflector plate inside an ice machine had “black slime buildup,” the report said.
Inspectors observed raw meat being stored above and next to ready-to-eat foods in a freezer, according to the report.
The German restaurant had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.
Fukumi Sushi LLC, 1735 Arden Way in Sacramento, had nine violations on Monday.
The hand-washing sink was blocked by a large garbage bin during Monday’s inspection, and there was organic mold-like buildup in the ice machine.
One dead German cockroach was seen at a three-compartment sink of the kitchen.
According to the report, the restaurant is working with the pest control regarding the roach issue.
Food items were not stored properly during the inspection including raw eggs, chicken and beef.
The restaurant was reinspected on Tuesday and received a green placard.
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