At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
82/ 100 · 18 points taken off
5 problems found · 1 marked critical · Routine county inspection · Jun 4, 2025
Is that a lot?
Most food places here got 2 to 15 points taken off. Kovai Cafe 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 Kovai Cafe?
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: Hot food below 135°F K07How to fixFix it
- Hand sink not ready to use K06How to fixFix it
- Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food K27How 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 Kovai Cafe's team
Is this your place?
Welcome, Kovai Cafe. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim Kovai Cafe 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 Kovai CafeWe'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: Hot food below 135°FThe county found: “In the kitchen area, on the counter shelving above the steam table, measured tamarind rice, tomato rice, lemon rice,…”
First step: If food is out of range
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 3-302.11.
Try it yourself
Fix and log it: Hot food below 135°F
A practice run. Nothing is saved. Tap each step when it's done.
0 of 3 done
If food is out of range
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?
Claim Kovai CafeWe'll set it up with you. 25 days free.
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.
Not your place?
CleanCleaver puts these same items on your team's phones, with the rule beside each one. Your binder is ready when the inspector is.
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Inspections
From County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health · 1 inspection on record · Last checked Oct 6, 2026
The county lists no visits in the last 12 months.
Every visit
LatestJun 4, 2025Routine inspection82 out of 100 (Green placard)
This one: 82 out of 100 (Green placard), inspected Jun 4, 2025.
5 violations 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
In the kitchen area, on the counter shelving above the steam table, measured tamarind rice, tomato rice, lemon rice, sambar rice, and wheat dessert between 80F and 120F. Per operator, tamarind rice, tomato rice, lemon rice, sambar rice, and wheat dessert stored on the counter-top since 11:00am and is served between 11:00am and 3:00pm and discarded. In the kitchen area, by the cookline, on the shelving below the prep table, measured daal curry (sambar), cooked potato, tamarind sauce, and vegetable curry between 85F and 115F. Per operator, daal curry (sambar), cooked potato, tamarind sauce, and vegetable curry stored since 11:00am and is served between 11:00am and 3:00pm and discarded. [SA] Operator placed time labels for tamarind rice, tomato rice, lemon rice, sambar rice, wheat dessert, daal curry (sambar), cooked potato, tamarind sauce, and vegetable curry to be served by 3:00pm for a total of 4 hours from when removed from temperature control or discard.
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 Kovai Cafe? Fix it
Not critical (4)
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
At the front service station, at the handwash station, observed a lack of paper towels in the paper towel dispenser. Observed nearby handwash station in kitchen area is stocked with hand soap and paper towels. [CA] Ensure handwash stations are stocked with hand soap and paper towels to allow for proper handwashing. [COS] Operator restocked paper towel dispenser with paper towels.
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 Kovai Cafe? Fix it
Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food
The department's words
K27 Food separated and protected
Observed open dry food in food grade containers stored in the outdoor storage container. [CA] Ensure only prepackaged food items are stored in the outdoor storage container. All open food packages and containers shall be moved to the indoor storage areas.
Food Code 3-302.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Top to bottom
- 1. Top: ready-to-eat food (salads, desserts, cut fruit, cooked leftovers, deli meat, cheese, drinks)
- 2. Raw fish and seafood (cooked to 145°F)
- 3. Whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb; raw shell eggs (145°F)
From Food Code 3-302.11
Keep raw meat types apart
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Fridge and freezer storage order
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Kovai Cafe? Fix it
Cooked food not cooled in time
The department's words
K09 Proper cooling methods
In the kitchen area, in the undercounter compartment of the 3 door prep unit, measured cooked potatoes at 80F. Per operator, cooked potatoes were prepared about 2 hours prior. In the 3 door prep unit for chutney, measured container of tomato and onion chutney stored in the insert prep top at 80F. Per operator tomato and onion chutney was prepared 15 minutes prior. [CA] Potentially hazardous foods shall be RAPIDLY cooled from 135F to 70F within 2 hours, and then from 70F to 41F within 4 hours. Cooling shall be facilitated by one or more of the following methods: by adding ice; in an ice bath; using shallow containers left uncovered; using ice paddles; and/or using rapid cooling technology. [SA] Operator discarded container of cooked potatoes, and placed tomato and onion chutney in an ice bath to facilitate cooling.
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 Kovai Cafe? Fix it
Equipment in poor repair
The department's words
K35 Equipment, utensils: Approved, in good repair, adequate capacity
In the kitchen area, observed the use of two unapproved electronic stone spice grinder. [CA] Ensure only approved certified food grade equipment is used within the facility. Discontinue use of unapproved equipment and remove from the facility. Any new equipment shall be approved through plan check.
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 Kovai Cafe? Fix it
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 Kovai Cafe, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Hot food below 135°F Read the free guide
- Hand sink not ready to use Read the free guide
- Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food Read the free guide
- Cooked food not cooled in time Read the free guide
- Equipment in poor repair In CleanCleaver: Look over the equipment; report anything broken
Call Kovai Cafe
Ask for the manager. Kovai Cafe 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
- Routine inspection
- Result
- 82 out of 100 (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.