Roaches, insect egg sacs. What else was found at these Sacramento-area eateries?

Sacramento County Health Inspectors temporarily closed several restaurants over cockroach infestations in the past week, including one with over 200 cockroach feces.

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Health inspectors also cited several other restaurants for improper storage of meat, the presence of flies and other food safety issues.

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 an establishment’s 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, Aug. 13, through Wednesday, Aug. 19. If an inspection listed below needs clarification, business owners can email The Sacramento Bee at [email protected].

How to report a business to the health department

For readers who would like to report a local restaurant, food truck or cafe on health violations, they can do so by filing a complaint with the establishment’s .

The local health department is responsible for the initial investigation of consumer complaints regarding foods served or sold at retail food facilities, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Dining locations temporarily closed by health inspectors

Best Donuts & Ice Cream

2501 Del Paso Blvd Ste. A, Sacramento

Number of Violations: 9

Date: Thursday, Aug. 13

Sacramento County Health Inspectors gave a red placard to the Old North Sacramento dessert shop after discovering 7 live German cockroaches near a sink, on the floors and on a shelf near the ingredient topping trays. Several dead cockroaches were also found.

The health inspection also observed:

• The cappuccino machine was dirty and had built up residue on its dispenser nozzles.
• An open bag of ice cream was stored outside and not in an ice chest.
• Bags of flour were stored on the kitchen floor. Health codes require food to be stored at least 6 inches off the floor.
• Several surfaces were dirty with sugar residue, grime and syrup, including a back counter, a large mixer and a toaster oven.
• The employee restroom was unsanitary.
• A ceiling tile above a sink had water damage.

The dessert shop was reinspected on Saturday, Aug. 15 and cleared to re-open. Inspectors observed no cockroach activity during their second visit.

The Sacramento Bee could not reach Best Donuts & Ice Cream for comment in time for publication.

Bober Tea

8848 Calvine Rd. Ste. 160, Sacramento

Number of Violations: 3

Date: Friday, Aug. 14

Health inspectors re-inspected the Elk Grove tea shop on Friday Aug. 14, having closed it after an inspection on Tuesday, Aug. 11 found 16 German cockroaches, both dead and alive. The re-inspection resulted in the closure and red placard being upheld after inspectors found eight live German and Turkistan cockroaches throughout the facility, plus seven dead and dying nymph cockroaches. There were also four roach egg sacs on the floors and in a mop sink basin.

The tea shop was inspected a third time on Tuesday, Aug. 18, and cleared to reopen after inspectors found no live pest activity.

The Bee could not reach Bober Tea for comment in time for publication.

Pho Basil

8457 Elk Grove Florin Rd. Ste. 100, Elk Grove

Number of Violations: 4

Date: Friday, Aug. 14

Health inspectors gave a red placard to the Elk Grove Vietnamese restaurant after discovering four German cockroaches, both dead and alive, underneath a grill station. The restaurant had previously been inspected and closed on Wednesday, Aug. 12 after inspectors discovered 15 live and dead German and Turkistan cockroaches.

The health inspection also observed:

• A broken ceiling light cover above the fryer station.
• A gap in the ceiling above the fryer station.
• The plumbing connection pipe leading into a floor sink underneath the grill station lacked the required one inch air gap.

The restaurant was reinspected on Saturday, Aug. 15 and cleared to re-open. Inspectors observed no cockroach activity during their third visit.

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The restaurant confirmed it had re-opened and was operating with normal hours as of Thursday, Aug. 20.

Subway #10248

4211 Norwood Ave., Sacramento

Number of Violations: 2

Date: Monday, Aug. 17

Health inspectors gave a red placard to the Glenwood Meadows location of the sandwich chain after discovering four live German cockroaches beneath the bread warmer and oven and in a gap between the steam table and cold top refrigerator.

The health inspection also observed:

• Gaps underneath a sink and behind the bread warmer that could provide entry points and harbor vermin.

The location was re-inspected on Tuesday, Aug. 18 and cleared to-reopen.

The Subway location confirmed they were back to operating with normal hours as of Thursday, Aug. 20.

Pho Bac Hoa Viet

6645 Stockton Blvd Ste. 300, Sacramento

Number of Violations: 1

Date: Monday, Aug. 17

Health inspectors gave a red placard to the South Sacramento Vietnamese restaurant after discovering three live German cockroaches throughout the facility and several other dead cockroaches at the entrance of the pantry. The Aug. 17 inspection was a follow-up to a pair of inspections in mid-July to verify vermin abatement measures.

The restaurant was re-inspected on Tuesday, Aug. 18 and cleared to re-open after inspectors observed no live pest activity.

The Bee reached out to the location, but a manager was not onsite.

Noble Vegetarian

5049 College Oak Dr. Ste. A, Sacramento

Number of Violations: 2

Date: Tuesday, Aug. 18

Health inspectors gave a red placard to the Old Foothill Farms vegetarian Asian restaurant after finding three live adult German cockroaches near a small prep table and in a restroom. Inspectors also found five to 10 dead cockroaches inside monitoring traps.

The health inspection also observed:

• Food stored out of safe holding temperature, including tofu at 55 degrees, small cubed tofu at 54 degrees, noodles at 55 degrees and soy sausage at 54 degrees.
• Sup broth was stored near a stove at 82 degrees; codes call for soups to be kept hot at or above 135 degrees.
• The ambient temperature of the refrigerator was at 54 degrees; refrigerator temperatures should be at or below 41 degrees.

The restaurant had yet to be re-inspected or re-opened as of Thursday, Aug. 20.

The Bee could not reach Noble Vegetarian for comment in time for publication.

Yi Long Chinese Restaurant

1500 W El Camino Ave. Ste. 8, Sacramento

Number of Violations: 9

Date: Monday, Aug. 17

Health inspectors gave a red placard to the South Natomas Chinese restaurant after finding evidence of an active cockroach infestation, including three live adult German cockroaches emerging from old, crumpled aprons and from a shelf below a prep table. The inspection also found: six egg sacs on a prep table and in miscellaneous items, including old aprons; over 200 cockroach feces dotted on corners of particle board shelves; old debris from what appeared to be dried cockroach legs and antennas on particle board shelves; and five dead cockroaches on the floor.

The health inspection also observed:

• Chopped barbeque pork in a cold top out of temperature at 52 degrees.
• Opened cans of personal soda were stored on a shelf above the cold top.
• Tubs of recently-cooked prefried rice (157F) were overfilled, covered, stacked and left to cool improperly on a prep cooler.
• Whole pieces of ginger were left to improperly dry on the lined floor outside the back door.

The restaurant was re-inspected on Tuesday, Aug. 18 but remained closed after inspectors found two live German cockroach nymphs. A third inspection on Wednesday, Aug. 19 cleared the facility to reopen after no live or dead cockroaches were observed.

The restaurant confirmed it had reopened and was operating with normal hours as of Thursday, Aug. 20.

Restaurants cited by health inspectors

Gogi Korean BBQ & Hot Pot

9660 Bruceville Rd., Elk Grove

Number of Violations: 11

Date: Thursday, Aug. 13

• Health inspectors gave the Elk Grove Korean restaurant a yellow placard after observing several potentially hazardous foods outside of proper holding temperature, including dumplings in a fryer basket measuring 121 degrees, fishcake bonchon in a cooler measuring 52 degrees and mussels overfilled in a cold top measuring 42 to 55 degrees.
• A customer with a pet dog was noted inside the facility.
• Two food handler cards on-site had expired.
• The back dishwasher measured 0 ppm sanitizer.
• Yellow spray bottles on rolling carts in the dining room lacked labels.
• Ice accumulation in the ice cream freezer chest and the top of the walk-in freezer required cleaning.
• The handle of an ice scoop at the soda machine was touching the ice.

Gogi Korean BBQ and Hot Pot was re-inspected on Friday, Aug. 14 and given a green placard.

Rice Express

25004 Blue Ravine Rd Ste 115, Folsom

Number of Violations: 9

Date: Thursday, Aug. 13

• Health inspectors gave the Folsom Chinese restaurant a yellow placard after observing par cooked chicken and beef on a prep table not at a correct holding temperature. Additionally, waste water was surfacing from a floor sink which a dish machine and two-compartment sink drained into.
• No hot water was available at the two-compartment sink and dish machine.
• Heavy grease and dust accumulation was on the makeup air return ducts and on ceiling tiles.
• Residue and debris on surfaces was found on floors and walls throughout the facility and on the interior of the dish machine.
• Cardboard lining was used for a kitchen shelf.

Rice Express was re-inspected on Friday, Aug. 14 and given a yellow placard after inspectors found par fried chicken and par cooked chicken and beef at improper holding temperatures. The restaurant was inspected for a third time on Saturday, Aug. 15 and given a green placard.

Fremont Market

2330 N St., Sacramento

Number of Violations: 8

Date: Friday, Aug. 14

• Health inspectors gave the Midtown market a yellow placard after finding a hand sink next to the sandwich prep area blocked by a box inside the sink. Inspectors also found several food items out of proper holding temperature, including potato salad and sliced tomatoes.
• Deli sandwiches and potato salads made and packaged in facility lacked labels.
• An unapproved electrical unit was being used to cook eggs.
• Prep cooler found without a monitoring thermometer inside.
• The prep sink was blocked by boxes of stacked drinks, leaving produce to be washed in the ware washing sink.

The market was reinspected on Saturday, Aug. 15 and given a yellow placard after inspectors noted that the hand sink was blocked by cases of soda. The restaurant was inspected for a third time on Monday, Aug. 17 and given a green placard.

Pizza Twist

9630 Bruceville Rd. Ste. 105, Elk Grove

Number of Violations: 8

Date: Thursday, Aug. 13

• Health inspectors gave the Elk Grove Indian pizzeria a yellow placard after finding the front hand sink had no soap and the employee restroom hand sink had no paper towels. The back hand sink also lacked soap and employees were washing hands at the ware washing sink.
• Shredded cheese in a reach-in cooler measured 55 to 57 degrees. Milk in a two-door reach-in cooler measured 47 degrees.
• Food boxes were stored on the floor of the walk-in freezer.
• A cutting board was stored at the ware wash faucet.
• A worker’s personal drink was stored over pizza dough and keys were stored on top of the chest freezer.
• The pizzeria’s health permit had expired.

Pizza Twist was first inspected and given a yellow placard on Tuesday, Aug. 12. The pizzeria was inspected and given yellow placards again on Friday, Aug. 14 and on Saturday, Aug. 15 for repeat violations. The restaurant was inspected for a fifth time on Monday, Aug. 17 and given a green placard.

Taqueria El Burrito

4730 Natomas Blvd. Ste. 170, Sacramento

Number of Violations: 16

Date: Thursday, Aug. 13

• Health inspectors gave the RP Sports Complex Mexican restaurant a yellow placard after finding several potentially hazardous foods out of proper holding temperatures in a steam table, including: rice, beans and meat.
• Raw shell eggs were overfilled in an insert tray and measured 55 degrees.
• Inspectors found that employees lacked knowledge of safely reheating food.
• Five of the facility’s California Food Handler cards had expired.
• A water bottle with an unapproved screw-top lid was stored on a shelf above the steam table.
• Inspectors found white/black residue inside the ice machine and old food debris on a meat slicer.
• A tray of tortilla chips on a storage shelf next to the steam table was uncovered.
• An unlabeled spray bottle was hanging on a shelf.
• Old food debris was found on the floor throughout the facility.
• Ice had built-up inside the walk-in freezer.

The taqueria was reinspected on Monday, Aug. 17 and given a yellow placard after inspectors found food stored outside of proper holding temperatures. As of Thursday, Aug. 20 the restaurant still has a yellow placard.

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Galt China Express

1061 C St. Ste. 130, Galt

Number of Violations: 7

Date: Monday, Aug. 17

• Health inspectors gave the Galt Chinese restaurant a yellow placard after observing a fly land on a raw piece of chicken at a prep sink. Inspectors observed around 6 flies hovering at and below a prep sink.
• Raw chicken was thawing inside a prep sink in low stagnant water measuring 81 degrees.
• A cooked beef bowl was nested on a cold top refrigerator and relocated to a reach-in refrigerator.
• The facility’s food handler cards were not available for review.
• Tongs were stored on the oven handle.
• Food on the ‘Time as a Public Health Control’ list was missing date and discard information.

The restaurant was re-inspected on Wednesday, Aug. 19 and given a green placard.