At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
79/ 100 · 21 points taken off
6 problems found · 1 marked critical · Routine county inspection · Aug 13, 2026
Is that a lot?
Most food places here got 2 to 15 points taken off. Special Noodle San Jose 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 Special Noodle San Jose?
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
- Cooked food not cooled in time K09How to fixFix it
- Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair K44How 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 Special Noodle San Jose's team
Is this your place?
Welcome, Special Noodle San Jose. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim Special Noodle San Jose 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 Special Noodle San JoseWe'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: “At the front kitchen area, on the counter-top, measured container soup stored at 60F. Per operator, stored from an…”
First step: If food is out of range
Then the next one: Cooked food not cooled in time
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 6-501.112, Food Code 4-603.16, Food Code 3-302.11, Food Code 2-301.15.
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
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What people see after you fix and log it
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The date of your reply
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What people see next
Under each item here, people see what you fixed, in your words.
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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 (2 routine).
Every visit
LatestAug 13, 2026Routine inspection79 out of 100 (Green placard)
This one: 79 out of 100 (Green placard), inspected Aug 13, 2026.
6 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
At the front kitchen area, on the counter-top, measured container soup stored at 60F. Per operator, stored from an hour prior. [CA] Ensure potentially hazardous foods are held cold at 41F and below or held hot at 135F and above to prevent bacterial growth. [SA] Operator moved container of soup to the walk-in refrigerator to facilitate proper holding temperatures.
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 Special Noodle San Jose? Fix it
Not critical (5)
Cooked food not cooled in time
The department's words
K09 Proper cooling methods
In the kitchen area, on the storage/cooling rack, measured three containers of soup cooling between 80F and 85F. Per operator, soup was cooked about 1.5 hours 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 facilitate by one or more of the following methods: using an ice bath; by adding ice; separated into smaller portions; using shallow containers; using ice paddles; and/or using rapid cooling technology. [COS] Operator placed containers of soup 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 Special Noodle San Jose? Fix it
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K44 Premises clean, in good repair; Personal/chemical storage; Adequate vermin-proofing
Observed gaps, cracks, and crevices around installed stainless steel shelving in the kitchen area. At the front kitchen area, observed gaps between stainless steel wall panels and the wall. [CA] Ensure all gaps, cracks, crevices, and holes are sealed to prevent possible harborage of vermin.
Food Code 6-101.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
Floors, walls and ceilings clean and in repair
In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
Are you Special Noodle San Jose? Fix it
The department's words
K23 No rodents, insects, birds, or animals
In the outdoor storage shed, observed rodent droppings on the floor. Observed rodent droppings on top of clean towels and aprons. [CA] Ensure facility is kept free of vermin. Clean and sanitize all areas with activity. Contact pest control to provide service for facility. Discontinue use of outdoor shed for any form of food storage until approved by district inspector.
Food Code 6-501.111
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
What to do
- Any sign of mice, rats or roaches: act now. Protect or throw out affected food, clean the area, and call the pest control operator the same day.
- Flies or ants in food areas: act within 24 hours.
- Insects in food: throw that food out and check the stock around it.
From Food Code 6-501.112
What NOT to do
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Signs of pests and what to do
The full guide has 3 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Special Noodle San Jose? Fix it
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
K14 Food contact surfaces clean, sanitized
In the ice machine, observed accumulation on the interior side panels. [CA] Ensure ice machine is frequently cleaned and sanitized to prevent possible contamination of food (ice).
Food Code 4-602.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Clean first, then sanitize
- 1. Scrape off food.
- 2. Wash with detergent and warm water.
- 3. Rinse off the soap (soap weakens sanitizer).
From Food Code 4-603.16
When to clean food-contact surfaces
4 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Cleaning vs sanitizing, and sanitizer strengths
The full guide has 4 more parts. Sign up to open the full guide in the app.
Are you Special Noodle San Jose? Fix it
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K45 Floor, walls, ceilings: built,maintained, clean
Observed debris accumulation underneath the cookline at the front kitchen area. [CA] Ensure facility floors are frequently cleaned and maintained to prevent harborage of vermin.
Food Code 6-101.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
Floors, walls and ceilings clean and in repair
In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
Are you Special Noodle San Jose? Fix it
EarlierApr 13, 2026Routine inspection85 out of 100 (Green placard)
6 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (6)
Equipment in poor repair
The department's words
K35 Equipment, utensils: Approved, in good repair, adequate capacity
Observed cardboard used to line shelving in the walk-in refrigerator. [CA] Ensure only approved, smooth, durable, and easily cleanable equipment is used within the facility. Discontinue use of cardboard.
Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food
The department's words
K27 Food separated and protected
Observed open bags of flour and sugar stored in the outdoor shed. [CA] Ensure all open food is stored inside the approved and enclosed facility.
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
By the back entrance, observed boxes stored on the handwash sink and hand soap not easily accessible from the hand soap dispenser. Handwash sink unable to provide hot water due to missing hot water knob. Observed a handwash station towards the entrance into the kitchen area stocked with hand soap and paper towels. [CA] Ensure handwash stations are kept accessible and stocked with hand soap and paper towels to allow for proper handwashing. Ensure handwash station is repaired and provided with hot water to allow for proper handwashing.
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K45 Floor, walls, ceilings: built,maintained, clean
Observed debris accumulation on the floor underneath the cooklines and in edges between equipment. [CA] Ensure facility and equipment are frequently cleaned and maintained to prevent possible harborage of vermin.
The department's words
K23 No rodents, insects, birds, or animals
Observed two flies inside the facility, and a large number of flies in the storage shed in the back of the facility. [CA] Ensure facility is kept free of fly activity to prevent possible contamination of food and food contact surfaces.
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Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
K14 Food contact surfaces clean, sanitized
Observed accumulation on the interior panels of the ice machine. [CA] Ensure ice machine is frequently cleaned and sanitized to prevent possible contamination of food (ice).
EarlierMar 3, 2025Follow-up inspectionGreen placard
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.
EarlierFeb 27, 2025Follow-up inspectionYellow placard
2 violations listed, 2 marked critical.
Critical (2)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right
The department's words
K14 Food contact surfaces clean, sanitized
At the spray sink for the warewash machine, observed employee cleaning containers in dirty water in the sink, rinsing using the spray faucet, and proceed to store on storage shelving without sanitizing. [CA] Ensure all equipment and utensils are cleaned and sanitized to prevent possible contamination. [SA] Operator removed all containers from the storage shelving and proceeded to wash and sanitize in the warewash machine.
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
In the kitchen area, in the walk-in refrigerator, measured potentially hazardous foods including ground pork/pork meat mixtures, large size raw shelled eggs, packages of fish, packages of cooked clams, cooked pork, cooked beef, cooked beef roll, steamer trays of sticky rice in lotus leaf, and packages of tofu between 49F and 58F. Per operator, potentially hazardous foods stored in the walk-in refrigerator from the previous day. Measured ambient air temperature of walk-in refrigerator between 50F and 58F. [CA] Ensure potentially hazardous foods are held cold at 41F or below to prevent bacterial growth. [SA] All potentially hazardous foods were VC&D due to time and temperature abuse. See VC&D report for further details. Operator to contact for repairs to walk-in refrigerator and discontinue use for storage of potentially hazardous foods until refrigeration is repaired.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
EarlierFeb 24, 2025Routine inspection59 out of 100 (Yellow placard)
10 violations listed, 3 marked critical.
Critical (3)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K07 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
In the walk-in refrigerator, measured ambient air temperature at 56F. Measured ground pork, raw shelled eggs, cooked pork, tofu, raw pork, and raw beef between 46F and 52F. Per operator, refrigeration has been accessed in the past hour for deliveries and restocking. [CA] Ensure potentially hazardous foods are held cold at 41F or below or held hot at 135F and above to prevent bacterial growth. [SA] Operator opened the internal door for the walk-in freezer to bring ambient air temperatures to 41F and below. Remeasured ambient air temperature of the walk-in refrigerator at 41F. Operator to monitor proper function of refrigeration and ensure potentially hazardous foods are maintained at 41F or below. On a cooling rack by the cookline, measured a container of cooked tofu in sauce at 110F. Per operator, tofu was prepared an hour prior. [CA] Ensure potentially hazardous foods are held hot at 135F and above to prevent bacterial growth. [SA] Operator moved container of cooked tofu to steam table by the front counter to facilitate proper holding temperatures. Discussed change in procedure with operator to store cooked tofu at the front counter steam table.
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
No hot or cold water at a sink
The department's words
K21 Hot and cold water available
In the kitchen area, by the ice machine, at the handwash station, observed a lack of cold water provided to the sink. Measured hot water from the handwash station at 120F and unusable for handwashing. In the kitchen area, by the back exit, at the handwash station, observed a lack of hot and cold water provided due to non-functioning hot and cold water knobs. [CA] Ensure hot water at all handwash stations are provided between100F and 108F to allow for proper handwashing. Ensure handwash stations are provided with hot and cold water, and maintained to allow for handwashing. [SA] Employees to use prep sink station next to handwash station as a dedicated sink to wash hands until handwash stations may be repaired. Observed the 3 compartment sink in use for prep and warewashing occurring at the warewash machine. Operator to provide repairs to handwash stations.
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
In the kitchen area, by the ice machine, observed handwash station does not provide cold water. Hot water provided at the handwash station is too hot for use in handwashing. In the kitchen area, by the back exit, observed an unusable handwash station due to non-functioning hot and cold water knobs. [CA] Ensure facility handwash stations are accessible, able to provide hot water between 100F and 108F, and are stocked with hand soap and paper towels. [SA] Employees to use prep sink station next to handwash station as a dedicated sink to wash hands until handwash stations may be repaired. Observed the 3 compartment sink in use for prep and warewashing occurring at the warewash machine. Operator to provide repairs to handwash stations.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Not critical (7)
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K45 Floor, walls, ceilings: built,maintained, clean
In the kitchen area, observed standing water on the floor around the steamer. In the kitchen area, on the floor, observed accumulation of food debris around handwash station and prep sink. Observed accumulation of food debris underneath the cookline. [CA] Ensure facility floors are frequently cleaned and maintained to prevent harborage of vermin. In the wall corner behind the mop sink, observed a large gap in the wall between the stainless steel wall panels. [CA] Ensure all gaps, cracks, and crevices are properly sealed to prevent harborage of vermin.
The department's words
K23 No rodents, insects, birds, or animals
In the outdoor storage shed, observed rodent droppings on top of boxes around packaged food items. [CA] Ensure facility and all food storage areas are free of vermin and vermin activity. All packaged food items stored in outdoor storage areas shall be stored in containers with a fitted lid to prevent access to vermin.
Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food
The department's words
K27 Food separated and protected
Observed open packages of flour, and spices stored in containers in the outdoor storage shed. [CA] Ensure only prepackaged, un-opened packages of food are stored in the outdoor storage shed. Open packages of dry food shall be stored inside the facility in a food grade container and covered with a fitted lid.
Cooked food not cooled in time
The department's words
K09 Proper cooling methods
In the kitchen area, measured cooked tofu cooling at 116F. Per operator, cooked tofu was prepared an hour 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; using an ice bath; using shallow containers; separated into smaller portions; using ice paddles and/or using rapid cooling technology. [SA] Operator separated cooked tofu into two containers and placed in ice bath to facilitate cooling. Re-measured cooked tofu after an hour and measured at 68F.
Sewage or wastewater not disposed of right
The department's words
K22 Sewage and wastewater properly disposed
Observed mop sink is clogged. Observed all other sinks in the facility continue to dispose of wastewater and no sewage backup occurring at floor sinks/floor drains. Per operator, a plumber has been contacted to provide service within the day. [CA] Liquid waste shall be disposed of through the approved plumbing system and shall discharge into the public sewerage or into an approved private sewage disposal system. Ensure mop sink is fully-functioning at all times to dispose of wastewater.
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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.
The department's words
K26 Approved thawing methods used; frozen food
Observed frozen packages of raw pork thawing on the drainboard of the 3 compartment sink. [CA] Frozen potentially hazardous food shall only be thawed in one of the following ways: 1) under refrigeration that maintains the food temperature at 41F or below, 2) completely submerged under potable running water for a period not to exceed two hours at a water temperature of 70F or below, and with sufficient water velocity to agitate and flush off loose particles into the sink drain, 3) in a microwave oven if immediately followed by immediate preparation, 4) as part of a cooking process.
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 Special Noodle San Jose, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Hot food below 135°F Read the free guide
- Cooked food not cooled in time Read the free guide
- Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
- Pests seen inside: droppings Read the free guide
- Food-contact surfaces not cleaned or sanitized right Read the free guide
Call Special Noodle San Jose
Ask for the manager. Special Noodle San Jose can only fix what it knows about.
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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.
Do you work at or run Special Noodle San Jose?
See the plan to fix each item and show what you did.
Address thisAbout 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
- 79 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.