More than 70 rat droppings at Sacramento-area restaurant. What else did inspectors find?
Sacramento County health inspectors shut down a local Mexican restaurant due to a lack of hot water.
Meanwhile, nine food facilities in the county received yellow placards for violations including rat droppings, a grimy meat slicer, a bloody freezer and improperly stored produce.
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 recently closed 58 Degrees and Holding Co. due to violations including cockroaches and slime in the ice machine. The wine bar reopened on Feb. 22.
Inspectors also shut down International Catering Bon, after discovering roaches, animal fecal matter and other violations. The catering company reopened on Feb. 23.
Here are the Sacramento County food facility inspections for Feb. 22 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.
Health inspectors close Sacramento Mexican restaurant
La Sobrocita, 5015 Stockton Blvd. in Sacramento, had one violation on Monday.
The restaurant was shut down due to a lack of hot water. Water at three compartment sinks was 60 degrees.
According to Sacramento County Health Department guidelines, “An adequate, protected, pressurized, potable supply of hot and cold water shall be provided at all times.”
The Sacramento Bee called the restaurant on Thursday night, but the manager was not available. The Bee also called the permit holder on the restaurant, but her voicemail was full.
When The Bee called the restaurant on Thursday it had reopened, but no inspection had been posted on the Sacramento County inspectors website.
Sacramento County restaurants cited for health violations
The following Sacramento County restaurants had violations the week of Feb. 22 through Feb. 28, 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.
Falafel Corner, 1004 J St. in Sacramento, had nine violations on Tuesday.
Inspectors observed hummus, sliced tomatoes and thawing chicken at improper holding temperatures, according to the report, and a meat slicer had “dark food debris” on its blades.
Inspectors also saw a total of 10 rodent droppings throughout the basement on Tuesday.
The restaurant was reinspected on Wednesday, but again received a yellow placard.
Taqueria Milindo Apatzingan, 928 Oak Lane in Rio Linda, had 12 violations on Wednesday.
The manager’s food safety certificate and workers’ California food handler cards were not available during the inspection.
Inspectors observed “raw meat stored on shelves above ready-to-eat food items” inside a refrigerator, as well as “raw chicken stored on shelves above raw pork” and a bag of raw pork resting on a bag of cheese.
Inspectors provided education to workers on how to properly store food in the refrigerator, according to the report.
A bag of flour and a bag of sugar were on the floor in the dry storage area, the report said.
The restaurant was reinspected on Thursday and received a green placard.
Baan Noodle and Rice, 1299 Florin Road in Sacramento, had 15 violations on Wednesday.
Inspectors observed raw beef in a preparation sink that was “said to have been there overnight,” according to Wednesday’s report, as well as white rice from the previous day in a covered plastic container.
Storage bins with bulk foods in them were open during Wednesday’s inspection. The “bottom of a stand up freezer unit had dried blood on the bottom of the unit,” according to the report.
Food handler cards were not available during the inspection.
The restaurant had not been reinspected as of Friday morning.
Pho ABC Inc, 7811 Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights, had 11 violations on Wednesday.
An employee did not wash their hands after handling janitorial equipment, and then proceeded to handle food, according to Wednesday’s report.
An dirty container was used to store a chicken in wrapped plastic, the report said. The container was discarded.
Inspectors saw frozen meat improperly thawing.
California food handler cards were not available during the inspection.
The restaurant had not had a reinspection as of Friday morning.
World Traveler Coffee, 500 J St. in Sacramento, had three violations on Wednesday.
The coffee shop had its initial inspection on Jan. 18 and received a green placard. Since then the shop has had four reinspections “to follow up with a glass light chandelier installed over the front coffee make line and pastry case.”
Reinspections were conducted on Jan. 26, Feb. 6, Feb. 23 and Wednesday.
On Wednesday, inspectors observed an employee beverage and cigarette stored on a pickup counter alongside food-related equipment, according to the report.
There were also “coffee mugs, plates, utensils and various other food contact equipment” stored on the counter. Inspectors advised the coffee shop to install a sneeze guard.
Smokey Oaks Tavern, 9634 Fair Oaks Blvd. in Sacramento, had 13 violations on Wednesday.
Inspectors observed a total of 75 rat droppings throughout the restaurant on Wedesday, according to the report, including on the floor, in sheet pans and on top of canned food products and a box of bread crumbs.
In addition, inspectors saw an employee put on their gloves without washing their hands.
A box of beef was stored on the floor in a walk-in cooler, the report said, and there was grease accumulation on the cooks line.
The restaurant was reinspected on Thursday and received a green placard.
The Original Mel’s Diner, 3000 J St. in Sacramento, had 14 violations on Monday.
Inspectors observed a server enter the “prep area from the dining area and handle toast with their bare hands” without washing them, according to Monday’s report.
Another server entered “the station from the dining area and handled toast with gloved hands,” but didn’t wash their hands first, the report said.
Inspectors intervened and provided guidance on cleanliness to servers, according to the report.
Sinks located in employee restrooms, prep stations, a ware wash station and next to the office door and kitchen entrance all were out of paper towels during the inspection, the report said.
Cut melon, raw shell eggs and sliced tomato were stored at improper holding temperatures.
The diner was reinspected on Tuesday and received a green placard.
Hibachi Buffet Sushi and Grill, 5623 Sunrise Blvd. in Citrus Heights, had 10 violations on Tuesday.
Inspectors observed “multiple food items cooling improperly in covered containers with tight fitting lids,” according to the report.
Food items were stored on the floor in the walk-in refrigerator and freezer.
The restaurant had not been reinspected as of Friday morning.
Golden Corral, 4940 Watt Ave. in North Highland, had 14 violations on Feb. 22.
Inspectors observed “condensation ice build-up” on top of an open bag with raw chicken that was stored beneath a condenser unit inside a walk-in freezer, according to the report.
An open bag with raw chicken and corn was stored inside a walk-in freezer.
Inspectors also observed “hotel pans with large roast beef pieces, pulled pork, spare ribs and cooked pasta” from the night before improperly cooling inside a walk-in cooler, the report said.
The restaurant was reinspected on Feb. 23 and received a green placard.
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