More than 200 cockroaches close Sacramento restaurant. See latest county restaurant report
Sacramento County health inspectors shut down a local Thai restaurant after discovering more than 200 cockroaches throughout the facility.
Three Sacramento-area restaurants and a liquor store received yellow placards for health violations including a moldy ice machine, a lack of hot water and improperly stored food and drinks.
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 L&L Hawaiian Barbecue on March 25 due to cockroach infestations. The restaurant reopened two days later.
Here are the Sacramento County food facility inspections for March 28 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 inspectors close Thai restaurant due to cockroaches
SAAP SAAP Hmong Thai Cuisine, 3262 J St. in Sacramento, had eight violations on Tuesday.
More than 200 live and dead cockroaches were found throughout the Thai restaurant on Tuesday, according to the report.
Inspectors found dead cockroaches and feces “on (a) shelf surrounding glassware with (roach) mouth parts in contact with the shelf,” the report said.
One live cock roach was seen behind an upright cooler, while another roach on the floor of the pantry and third was on a shelf next to the rice cooker.”
“Approximately 20 dead German cockroaches observed on and around the electrical box near the soda fountain,” Tuesday’s report said, and there was a dead roach on a shelf next to sake glassware.
Another five to 10 roaches were on the floor under a cooler, according to the report.
Inspectors found approximately 100 to 130 German cockroaches in different stages of life on a glue board between an ice machine and a soda fountain, the report said, as well as another 100 roaches on a glue board near an electrical box.
In addition, inspectors said, various areas of the restaurant were unclean.
Rice was spilled on the floor next to a bulk rice bin, the floor next to the ice machine had food debris and there was grease build up next to an electrical outlet.
The Thai restaurant had not been reinspected as of Thursday afternoon.
The Sacramento Bee reached out to the restaurant owners for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
Local restaurants, liquor store cited for health violations
The following Sacramento County restaurants had violations the week of March. 28 through April 3, 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.
Burger Shack, 4545 Manzanita Ave. in , had 14 violations on Wednesday.
Inspectors observed an employee grabbing hamburger patties with gloves, then touching raw onions and mushrooms without properly washing their hands, according to the report.
Whole milk was outside of its proper holding temperature during Wednesday’s inspection.
There was buildup on a milk shaker mixer, according to the report.
Inspectors observed personal cell phones on top of the ice machine and soft serve machine during the inspection.
The burger restaurant had not been reinspected as of Thursday.
Maru Ramen Bar, 8698 Elk Grove Blvd. in Elk Grove, had eight violations on Wednesday.
Raw pork was at a improper holding temperature during Wednesday’s inspection, and raw pork was thawing at room temperature.
In addition, inspectors saw bags of onions on the floor.
The ramen bar had not been reinspected as of Thursday.
21st Amendment Liquor, 1555 Fulton Ave. in Sacramento, had six violations on March 28.
Sinks at the facility did not have hot water, according to the March 28 report.
Inspectors found organic mold-like buildup an in ice machine, the report said, as well as “several bottles of liquor and assorted drinks stored directly on the floors of the walk-in cooler and storage area.”
Dust accumulation was on fan guards.
The liquor store was reinspected on Tuesday, but again received a yellow placard due to a lack of hot water at sinks.
Pizza Twist, 4391 Gateway Park Blvd. in Sacramento, had eight violations on March 29.
The facility lacked hot water during the inspection, according to the March 29 report.
Boxes of cheese were on the floor inside of a walk-in cooler.
The pizza restaurant had not been reinspected as of Thursday.
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