At a glance
CleanCleaver food safety systematic review results
What happened?
77/ 100 · 23 points taken off
10 problems found · Routine county inspection · May 6, 2026
Is that a lot?
Most food places here got 2 to 15 points taken off. Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales 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 Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales?
It's fair to care about this. Here's what the county found. Tap any item to see how a kitchen fixes it.
- Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food K29How to fixFix it
- No person in charge on duty K01How to fixFix it
- No hot or cold water at a sink K21How 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 Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales' team
Is this your place?
Welcome, Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales. We'll walk through this together, one item at a time. To log the fixes, claim Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales 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 Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper TalesWe'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: Chemicals unlabeled or stored near foodThe county found: “Home type pest control spray found stored on shelf above 3 compartment warewash sink. [CA] Only those insecticides,…”
First step: Store them away from food
Then the next one: No person in charge on duty
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 7-201.11, Food Code 2-301.15, Food Code 3-304.14, Food Code 3-302.11.
Try it yourself
Fix and log it: Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food
A practice run. Nothing is saved. Tap each step when it's done.
0 of 3 done
Store them away from food
From Food Code 7-201.11
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.
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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.
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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 · 3 inspections on record · Last checked Oct 6, 2026
The county visited once in the last 12 months (1 routine).
Every visit
LatestMay 6, 2026Routine inspection77 out of 100 (Green placard)
This one: 77 out of 100 (Green placard), inspected May 6, 2026.
10 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (10)
Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food
The department's words
K29 Toxic substances properly identified, stored, used
Home type pest control spray found stored on shelf above 3 compartment warewash sink. [CA] Only those insecticides, rodenticides, and other pesticides that are necessary and specifically approved for use in a food facility may be used. [CA] Store chemicals separate and away from the storage and preparation of food or food contact surfaces and linens.
Food Code 7-201.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
Store them away from food
- Store chemicals below and away from food, dishes, utensils, linens and single-use items. Never on a shelf above food.
- Separate them by space or a partition.
- Keep only the chemicals the kitchen needs.
From Food Code 7-201.11
Label every container
3 more steps in the full guide Read the free guide
Chemicals and Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
Are you Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales? Fix it
The department's words
K01 Demonstration of knowledge; food safety certification
FSC is not available for review at time of inspection.[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. Food handler cards are not available for review at time of inspection. [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.
No hot or cold water at a sink
The department's words
K21 Hot and cold water available
Water temperature measured a maximum of 85F at start of inspection. [CA] Hot water shall be supplied at a minimum temperature of at least 120°F measured from the faucet throughout facility except at handwash sinks. [SA] Water heater adjusted. Temperature of water measured 100F at conclusion of inspection.
Food Code 5-103.11
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Log hand sink and dish water temperatures
Hot and cold water at every sink
In CleanCleaver: Log hand sink and dish water temperatures
Are you Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales? Fix it
Hood filters need cleaning
The department's words
K38 Adequate ventilation/lighting; designated areas, use
Ventilation hood turned off at time of inspection. [CA] Provide approved exhaust hood ventilation over all cooking equipment as required to effectively remove cooking odors, smoke, steam, grease, heat, and vapors. [COS] Buildup on hood/filters at cook line. [CA] Ventilation hood filters shall be maintained clean and good repair.
Food Code 6-501.14
How can a restaurant or home fix this?
In CleanCleaver: Hood filters
Hood filters clean
In CleanCleaver: Hood filters
Are you Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales? Fix it
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
REPEAT VIOLATION: LACK OF SINGLE USE PAPER TOWELS MOUNTED IN AN APPROVED DISPENSER AT HAND WASH SINK (COOKLINE). [CA] Single-use sanitary towels shall be provided in dispensers; heated-air hand drying device may be substituted for single-use 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 Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales? Fix it
Show 5 more
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K44 Premises clean, in good repair; Personal/chemical storage; Adequate vermin-proofing
Unused equipment stored at the rear of the facility (griddle, tire) [CA] Storage room shall be free of litter and items that are unnecessary to the operation or maintenance of the facility, such as equipment that is nonfunctional or no longer used.
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 Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales? Fix it
Signs posted; last inspection report available
The department's words
K47 Signs posted; last inspection report available
Environmental Health permit is not posted. [CA] The health permit issued by this department shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the food facility.
Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer
The department's words
K40 Wiping cloths: properly used, stored
Wet/used wiping cloths found stored on preparation tables. [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 Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales? Fix it
No backflow test on file
The department's words
K41 Plumbing approved, installed, in good repair; proper backflow devices
3 compartment sink lacks goose neck faucet. Sprayer does not allow filling of 3 compartment sink for warewashing. [CA] All plumbing and plumbing fixtures shall be installed in compliance with applicable local plumbing ordinances, shall be maintained so as to prevent any contamination, and shall be kept clean, fully operative, and in good repair. REPEAT VIOLATION: LACK OF AIR GAP AT FOOD PREPARATION SINK AND FLOOR SINK. [CA] All equipment that discharges liquid waste shall be drained by means of indirect waste pipes, and all wastes drained by them shall discharge through an airgap into a floor sink or other approved type of receptor.
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 Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales? Fix it
Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food
The department's words
K27 Food separated and protected
Canned food found stored in unapproved storage container at rear of facility. [CA] Food or food related equipment shall be stored in an approved fully enclosed food facility.
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 Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales? Fix it
EarlierMay 29, 2025Routine inspectionGreen placard
5 violations listed, 1 marked critical.
Critical (1)
Marked critical by County of Santa Clara Department of Environmental Health
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
The kitchen's front handwash sink lacked a soap and paper towels. [CA] Handwash sinks must be stocked with soap and paper towels at all times. [SA] A pump soap dispenser and a stack of napkins were placed next to the handwash sink.
Critical items are the ones most likely to make someone sick. This one comes first. Here's how a kitchen fixes it.
Not critical (4)
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K45 Floor, walls, ceilings: built,maintained, clean
Observed heavy accumulation of food debris on floors and walls throughout the kitchen. [CA] Keep floors and walls clean.
The department's words
K05 Hands clean, properly washed; gloves used properly
Observed employee rinse his hands with water at the prep sink, then wipe his hands on his clothes. [CA] Wash hands at the handsink with soap and water. Use disposal paper towels to dry hands.
Shelves and surfaces need cleaning
The department's words
K33 Nonfood contact surfaces clean
Observed heavy accumulation of food debris/grease on surfaces (shelving, fan covers). [CA] Keep surfaces clean.
The department's words
K07 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
Inside the front glass door refrigerator: measured internal temperature of mango lassi to be 48F. Note: other PHFs in the same refrigerator measured 41F, and a probe thermometer left inside the refrigerator measured 41F after 10 minutes. [CA] Keep potentially hazardous foods at 41F and below or 135F and above.
EarlierDec 16, 2024Routine inspection86 out of 100 (Green placard)
6 violations listed, 0 marked critical.
Not critical (6)
Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair
The department's words
K45 Floor, walls, ceilings: built,maintained, clean
Observed unapproved flooring material and lack of cove-base in the warewashing and dry storage areas. [CA] Install approved flooring with cove-base. Recommend consulting Plan Check. Comply by 6/16/25.
Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food
The department's words
K27 Food separated and protected
Observed two bags of onions were stored on the ground outdoors. [CA] Store food indoors to protect from contamination.
The department's words
K07 Proper hot and cold holding temperatures
Measured internal temperature of rice inside rice warmer to be 130 - 132F. Employee stated rice was cooked at 9am today (approximately 3.5 hours prior). [CA] Keep potentially hazardous foods at 135F and above or 41F and below. Employee immediately began reheating rice.
The department's words
K06 Adequate handwash facilities supplied, accessible
In the main kitchen area: observed lack of wall-mounted paper towel dispenser at the handwash sink. A stack of paper towels was stored on a shelf next to the handwash sink. [CA] Store paper towels inside a wall-mounted paper towel dispenser.
No backflow test on file
The department's words
K41 Plumbing approved, installed, in good repair; proper backflow devices
Observed the drain pipe under the prep sink extended into the floor sink. [CA] Maintain a minimum one-inch air gap between the drain pipe and the floor sink to prevent backflow.
Show 1 more
Utensils or dishes stored wet or unwashed
The department's words
K36 Equipment, utensils, linens: Proper storage and use
Observed plastic disposable bowl used as a scoop for rice inside the rice warmer. [CA] Used approved utensils with handles for handling foods to prevent contamination.
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 Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales, you can:
Learn how these get fixed
Free, step-by-step guides for each item.
- Chemicals unlabeled or stored near food Read the free guide
- No hot or cold water at a sink In CleanCleaver: Log hand sink and dish water temperatures
- Hood filters need cleaning In CleanCleaver: Hood filters
- Hand sink not ready to use Read the free guide
- Floors, walls or ceilings need cleaning or repair In CleanCleaver: Sweep and mop
- Wiping cloths left out of sanitizer Read the free guide
- No backflow test on file In CleanCleaver: Backflow device test
- Raw food not kept apart from ready-to-eat food Read the free guide
Call Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales
Ask for the manager. Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales can only fix what it knows about.
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Complain directly to the health department
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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 Swaad Indian Cuisine Pepper Tales?
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
- 77 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.