[Editor’s note: The reports mentioned here are from inspections conducted on December 4 and may not represent the future health inspection status of the food establishments.]
The Sacramento health department conducted several health inspections on December 4. Among those, Yummy Cafe and T&Z Chinese Restaurant revealed several food safety issues, resulting in receiving yellow placards.
Yummy Cafe
- When: December 4, 2025
- Where: 3005 Freeport Blvd B, Sacramento, CA 95818
Yummy Cafe serves traditional Hong Kong-style cuisine. According to the report, it was not in compliance with food safety rules.
- The report said California food handler cards were not available for review for some employees, and the issue was noted as a repeat violation.
- An employee beverage was seen stored without a lid or straw on a prep shelf above the prep cooler on the main cook’s line.
- Fried tofu measured 100°F while sitting in a fryer basket about 30 minutes after cooking, held for later orders.
- Minor issues included pork measuring 48°F while being prepped, and tomato sauce at the steam table measuring 130°F in parts of the container.
- The report said a container of beef in the walk-in freezer had ice accumulation on the lid and inside the container.
- Containers holding utensils and food equipment on the shelf below the prep table were found to be unclean and required same-day cleaning.
- The dish machine sanitizer measured between 50 ppm and 10 ppm chlorine after washing, far below the required levels.
- The report noted that multiple food containers in the walk-in cooler did not have lids and were stored in perforated colanders.
- Several areas did not have routine cleaning, including water and food debris buildup behind cooking equipment, sticky dry storage container lids, slime in the floor sink under the ice bin, and buildup on the tea dispenser piping.
- The walk-in freezer had excessive ice buildup that required removal and repair.
- The meat slicer was stored too close to a handsink, and cardboard was being reused to hold oil containers at the front counter.
- The report said damp wiping cloths on prep surfaces contained no detectable sanitizer.
- The report said indirect plumbing connections under multiple sinks and the ice machine lacked the required 1-inch air gap.
- The tallow bin lid was left open, trash was present throughout the area, and an occupied tent was observed nearby.
- Employee keys were stored above the cold prep area, and jackets were placed on a rack with packaged food.
- The report said the last inspection report was not available for review, marking a repeat issue.
- The report said records indicated the establishment’s health permit had expired. Proof of a valid permit was required.
A detailed inspection report is available online.
T&Z Chinese Restaurant
- When: December 4, 2025
- Where: 2550 W El Camino Ave 8, Sacramento, CA 95833
T&Z Chinese Restaurant, an authentic Chinese restaurant, had several violations, including:
- Staff were unable to demonstrate basic food-safety practices, such as proper temperatures, handwashing, and reheating.
- Food handler records were incomplete and not available on-site.
- An employee was seen placing raw battered chicken into the fryer with their bare hands, then dipping their hands into a can of water and wiping them on a towel before touching equipment.
- Paper towel dispensers in both the kitchen and server stations were jammed with the wrong size towels, marked as a repeat violation. Soap at the server hand sink was also incompatible with the dispenser.
- Several foods were found at unsafe temperatures, including pooled eggs at 60°F and fried chicken at 113°F. Other items like chow mein, fried rice, and fried pork were also found at improper temperatures.
- Three cups of pooled egg were discarded due to temperature.
- Cooked chicken cooling in a deep container was observed to be measured at 103°F.
- Rice and pre-fried rice were reheated incorrectly by placing them directly from the refrigerator into warmers. Some rice was moved to a hot holding at only 127°F.
- Hot water was seen reaching only 116°F, short of the 120°F minimum.
- Chow mein was seen stacked on top of fried rice inside the warmer.
- One of two bulk bins lacked a label and had to be corrected the same day.
- Heavy buildup of grease, residue, and food debris was observed across multiple areas, including under the cook line, around prep tables, in and on warmers, and inside refrigerator components.
- A damaged cooler gasket, food stored in grocery bags, broken rice-bin hinges, and cardboard used as storage shelving were all seen.
- A knife was found wedged between dirty equipment, rice scoops sat in 64°F water, and clean items were stored on top of a grease trap.
- A required probe thermometer was not available.
- Several cloths on prep surfaces had no detectable sanitizer and required immediate correction, the report said.
- The posted health permit had expired.
The detailed report is available online.
Follow-up Inspection
While the notes in the official report of Yummy Cafe recommended that the restaurant have handwashing signage and insect glue monitoring traps across the facility, T&Z Chinese Restaurant was asked to maintain potentially hazardous food at or below 41°F or at or above 135°F.
According to the health inspection report, both restaurants received a yellow placard. A reinspection will be conducted within 24-72 hours. The restaurants are expected to correct all the major violations to receive a green placard.
