At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
61/ 100 · 39 points taken off
9 problems found · 3 marked critical · Routine county inspection · Jul 21, 2026
At the routine inspection on Jul 21, 2026. The latest visit, on Jul 24, 2026, was a follow-up inspection. No notes were taken at it.
Is that a lot?
Most food places here got 2 to 15 points taken off. China Palace got more than most.
Compared with 9,600 Santa Clara County food places. Each place's last routine inspection counts.
What was found out about China Palace?
It's fair to care about this. Here's what the county found. Tap any item to see how a kitchen fixes it.
- Marked critical: Shellfish tags or fish freezing records missing K16How to fixFix it
- Marked critical: Hand sink not ready to use K06How to fixFix it
- Marked critical: Hot food below 135°F K07How to fixFix it
Source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
We review Santa Clara County health data to make this report. We are not the County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health.
Visit them directly at deh.santaclaracounty.gov (opens the department's site) · How we review
For China Palace's team
Is this your place?
Welcome, China Palace. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim China Palace first; we check that you run it.
Your whole team can help. Each person gets one next step, and everyone can see what's done.
This is my place: claim China PalaceWe'll help you get every item done. You don't have to do it alone.
We know an inspection can feel heavy, especially when it's busy.
Fix it together
Follow the steps for each item, with the rule beside it.
Next: Shellfish tags or fish freezing records missingThe county found: “Observed raw oysters without shell stock tags. [CA] Raw shucked shellfish shall bear a legible label that identifies…”
Then the next one: Hand sink not ready to use
Log it
Your team logs the fix on their phones, with the time and who did it.
Show what you did
Saying what you fixed, in your own words, builds trust. Families and regulars respect a kitchen that owns it and fixes it.
Each fix step comes from the rule it names: Food Code 2-301.15, Food Code 3-304.14, Food Code 2-301.14, Food Code 6-501.112.
Try it yourself
Fix and log it: Hand sink not ready to use
A practice run. Nothing is saved. Tap each step when it's done.
0 of 3 done
Hand sinks are for hands only
From Food Code 2-301.15
Logged
That's one done. We'll be here for the next.
What people see now
Today, people see the department's words and nothing from you.
What people see after you fix and log it
Example reply
CleanCleaverBusiness reply
Your business replied to this with the public statement:
We fixed this the same day. Now our team logs it on their phones at open and close.
The date of your reply
This is not an official update to the health inspection report. The county's record is unchanged.
Most kitchens get something cited at some point. What people remember is that you fixed it.
Want to join the restaurants in Santa Clara County that keep their kitchens clean and put their guests' health first?
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Replies are part of a paid plan. We read each one before it goes up. You can take it down any time. Only the department can change its record.
Do you work there, and someone else owns it? I work there
What people see next
Under each item here, people see what you fixed, in your words.
Left alone, or fixed together
Left alone, the same items can come back at the next inspection. Fixed together, they're done.
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Inspections
From County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health · 5 inspections on record · Last checked Oct 6, 2026
The county visited 2 times in the last 12 months (1 routine, 1 follow-up).
Nice work, China Palace. At the follow-up three days later, the county listed no items still open.
You cleared the re-check in three days. We're proud of you.
Every visit
LatestJul 24, 2026Follow-up inspection
No notes were taken, but there was an interaction, likely addressing some or all of the prior report. No inspector comment was found. See the official report (opens the department's site) for more information.
This one: a follow-up inspection on Jul 24, 2026. A follow-up visit re-checks earlier items. The last routine inspection was Jul 21, 2026: 61 out of 100 (Red placard).
EarlierJul 21, 2026Routine inspection61 out of 100 (Red placard)
9 violations listed, 3 marked critical.
Critical (3)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
Shellfish tags or fish freezing records missing
The department's words
K16 Compliance with shell stock tags, condition, display
Observed raw oysters without shell stock tags. [CA] Raw shucked shellfish shall bear a legible label that identifies the name, address and certification number of the shucker-packer or repacker and a "sell by" date or "best if used by" date. [COS] PIC voluntarily discarded oysters during time of inspection.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
No soap at kitchen handwash sink; paper towels not in dispenser at kitchen handwash sink. No paper towels at bar handwash station .[CA] Ensure handwash stations are stocked with soap and paper towels at all times.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Food Code 5-205.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Hand sinks are for hands only
- Wash only at a handwashing sink.
- Never wash hands in the dish sink, a food prep sink, a mop sink, or a drink cooler.
- Never dump drinks, rinse utensils or fill pitchers at the hand sink.
From Food Code 2-301.15
Soap and hand sanitizer
4 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Handwashing
The full guide has 4 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you China Palace? Fix it
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K07 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
Observed potentially hazardous foods located in the food prep cold hold unit across from the cookline to be in the temperature danger zone (cheese 55F-78F, heavy cream 55F). [CA] Ensure PHFs are properly cold held at 41F or below OR hot held at 135F or above. Repair, adjust or replace unit if necessary. Discontinue stacking PHFs above the chill line. [COS] PIC voluntarily discarded the cheese and the heavy cream.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Food Code 3-501.16(A)(1)
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
If food is out of range
- Hot food below 135°F for less than 2 hours: reheat to 165°F.
- Cold food above 41°F for less than 2 hours: chill it right away.
- Unknown time or longer: throw it out.
Which foods need temperature control (TCS)
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Hot and cold holding
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you China Palace? Fix it
Not critical (6)
Equipment in poor repair
The department's words
K35 Equipment, utensils: Approved, in good repair, adequate capacity
Observed several pieces of equipment that have been removed (prep sink, wok station, small food prep unit. reach in freezer) and several pieces of equipment added (water heater, 2 flat top grills, 1 table top grill, 1 deep fryer, 1 reach-in freezer). Also noted a wall has been removed and replaced with a half wall with a pass thru window. [CA] Facility must submit and gain approval from Plan Check PRIOR to replacing equipment. Submit for minor remodel to Plan Check by 7/24/2026.
Food Code 4-101.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
Equipment in good repair
In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
Are you China Palace? Fix it
Cooked food not cooled in time
The department's words
K09 Proper cooling methods
Observed PHFs being improperly cooled (in large/deep containers and covered). [CA] Ensure PHFs are properly cooled using one or more of the following techniques: shallow pans, smaller portions, frequent stirring, ice baths, ice paddles, ice as an ingredient, and/or blast chiller.
Food Code 3-501.14
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
If you miss a stage
- Missed stage 1 (not 70°F by 2 hours): reheat to 165°F and start over, or throw it out.
- Missed stage 2 (not 41°F by 6 hours): throw it out.
How to cool fast
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Cooling food in two stages
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you China Palace? Fix it
No backflow test on file
The department's words
K41 Plumbing approved, installed, in good repair; proper backflow devices
Observed 3 comp sink to be leaking (steady stream). [CA] Repair plumbing and maintain in good condition. No floor sink for ice machine to drain into. [CA] Ice machine must drain into an approved receptacle. Observed 3 comp sink to be indirectly plumbed and the discharge pipe to be in the floor sink (no gap between the pipe and floor sink). [CA] Food preparation sink shall discharge liquid waste by means of indirect waste pipes into a floor sink or other approved type of receptor equipped with a minimum 1" air gap.
Food Code 5-205.15
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Backflow device test
Backflow test on file
In CleanCleaver: Backflow device test
Are you China Palace? Fix it
The department's words
K01 Demonstration of knowledge; food safety certification
FSC and FHC not available for review. [CA] Facilities that prepare, handle, or serve non-prepackaged potentially hazard foods shall have a valid Food Safety Certificate available for review at all times. [CA] Each food handler shall maintain a valid food handler card for the duration of his or her employment as food handler. A valid food handler card shall be provided within 30 days of after the date of hire.
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
Observed soiled wiping cloths on several food prep surfaces. [CA] Wiping towels shall be stored in sanitizing solution of an approved concentration when not in use (100 ppm - chlorine, 200 ppm - quaternary ammonium).
Food Code 3-304.14
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Keep the bucket strong
- Wet cloths sit in sanitizer between uses: chlorine 50–99 ppm, or quat at label strength.
- Test with the cloths in the bucket when you mix it and every 2 hours.
- Remake it at once if it tests low or has food or dirt in it. Never just add more sanitizer to a dirty bucket.
From Food Code 3-304.14
Keep cloths apart
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Wiping cloths and sanitizer buckets
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you China Palace? Fix it
Show 1 more
No menu note about raw or undercooked food
The department's words
K19 Consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods
Facility sells raw/undercooked PHFs but does not have the proper verbiage on the menus. [CA] Ensure menus have the proper verbiage for the consumer advisory printed on menus.
EarlierJul 15, 2025Follow-up inspectionGreen placard
1 violation listed, 1 marked critical.
Critical (1)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K07 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
Observed potentially hazardous foods that measured in the temperature danger zone located in the warmer (fried rice 124F) and on a food prep surface (cooked chicken 70F). [CA] Ensure PHFs are properly cold held at 41F or below OR hot held at 135F or above. Repair, adjust or replace units if necessary. [SA] PIC discarded rice and had staff put the chicken in the walk-in cooler.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
EarlierJul 9, 2025Routine inspection64 out of 100 (Yellow placard)
8 violations listed, 3 marked critical.
Critical (3)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
The only handwash station in the kitchen did not have paper towels in the dispenser. Also, the handwash sink has a major leak underneath the basin when the sink is turned on. [CA] Refill paper towel dispenser with single use paper towels and repair leak as soon as possible. [SA] PIC provided a roll of paper towels as a temporary solution and will have staff use the 3 comp sink for handwashing until the handwash sink can be repaired. Staff must clean and sanitize the three compartment sink PRIOR to manually warewashing dishes.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K05 Hands clean, properly washed; gloves used properly
Observed employee switch from handling raw chicken to container of cooked noodles, back to raw chicken prep without washing hands (only changing gloves. When instructed to wash hands, employee rinsed hands in 3 comp sink without soap and did not use paper towels to dry. [CA] When changing tasks that can cause contamination, employees must wash hands with soap and warm water for a minimum of 20 seconds and dry with a single use paper towel. [COS] PIC had staff properly wash hands.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K07 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
Observed potentially hazardous foods that measured in the temperature danger zone located on a food prep surface (raw chicken 59F, noodles 52F, cooked chicken 69F) and in the food prep cold hold unit by the rice cooker (tofu 48, cooked chicken 48F). Per staff, the raw chicken and noodles have only been out for 30 minutes. The cooked chicken has been out for 5 hours. The tofu and cooked chicken in the prep unit have been in the unit for 2 hours. [CA] Ensure PHFs are properly cold holding at 41F or below OR hot holding at 135F or above. Discontinue leaving food out unless diligently preparing the food. Repair, adjust or replace food prep units that are not working properly. [SA/COS] PIC had staff finish preparing the raw chicken, had staff put the noodles back into the walk-in cooler, and discarded the cooked chicken that had been out for 5 hours. The PIC time marked the tofu and cooked chicken in the food prep unit for 2 more hours and will discard at the end of 2 hours.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Not critical (5)
No backflow test on file
The department's words
K41 Plumbing approved, installed, in good repair; proper backflow devices
Major leak at handwash station. [CA] Repair leak asap and maintain in good condition. Cold valve on food prep sink is missing. [CA] Replace valve.
The department's words
K01 Demonstration of knowledge; food safety certification
Facility did not have Food Safety Certificate available for review. [CA] Food facilities that prepare, handle, or serve non-prepackaged potentially hazard foods shall have a valid Food Safety Certificate available for review at all times.
Hood filters need cleaning
The department's words
K38 Adequate ventilation/lighting; designated areas, use
Observed cooking equipment positioned outside of the hood's overhang. [CA] There shall be a minimum of 6 inches overhang of ventilation hood over cooking equipment.
The department's words
K23 No rodents, insects, birds, or animals
Observed dried rodent droppings in outside storage shed with the walk-in freezer. [CA] Discontinue using outside walk-in freezer.
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
Observed soiled wiping cloths on food prep surfaces. [CA] Wiping towels shall be stored in sanitizing solution of an approved concentration when not in use (100 ppm - chlorine, 200 ppm - quaternary ammonium).
EarlierApr 24, 2025Routine inspectionGreen placard
1 violation listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (1)
Permits available
The department's words
K49 Permits available
--48 HOUR NOTICE— Our records indicate this facility is operating without a valid permit and has a delinquent account. Your balance due is $2,153.75. Payment must be made immediately to DEH at the address at the top of this report or via our website at www.Ehinfo.org. A facility that submits payment of the outstanding balance within 48 hours (2 business days) of this notice will be issued and mailed an operating permit by this department. Failure to comply within 48 hours will result in facility closure and additional enforcement, including but not limited to reinspection(s) and additional cost recovery fees. A facility found to be in continued operation without a permit may incur a penalty of three (3) times the operating permit fee, and fee(s) for re-inspection(s) charged at the current hourly rate approved by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Penalties and fees incurred due to enforcement activities must be paid in full prior to the issuance of an operating permit.
Source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health. This is the department's data, not CleanCleaver's. See the department's full record (opens the department's site)
What you can do
As a customer of China Palace, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Hand sink not ready to use Read the free guide
- Hot food below 135°F Read the free guide
- Equipment in poor repair In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
- Cooked food not cooled in time Read the free guide
- No backflow test on file In CleanCleaver: Backflow device test
- Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer Read the free guide
Call China Palace
Ask for the manager. China Palace can only fix what it knows about.
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Complain directly to the health department
We are not the health department. You can report to them on their site. Report to County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health (opens the department's site)
When regulars speak up kindly and kitchens fix things, the whole neighborhood eats well. Now you know what the inspector found, and what you can do about it.
About this record
Opens the county's own page for this place.
Most people don't know what a normal result looks like for a place that's open every day. The ranges use each place's last routine inspection in this area. No other county is mixed in.
100 means the inspector found no problems. Santa Clara County takes points off for each problem. Big ones take off more.
The county posts a green, yellow or red placard after each inspection, and gives routine inspections a score. In the county's data, a routine inspection with no violations listed scored 100, and the score drops as violations are found. The county's page does not say which scores or findings give each color: ask the department.
- Inspection type
- Follow-up inspection
- Result
- Green placard
- Source
- County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
This is not an official ranking or grade. See the official source: County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health (opens the department's site) .
Information on this page may be out of date. Check the original source to confirm.