A Land Park seafood institution known for its dim sum spent two days last week under a health permit suspension after inspectors found a dead rat caught in a glue trap, dozens of rodent droppings, and an employee washing their hands with water alone. Ming Dynasty Seafood Restaurant at 1211 Broadway was hit with a red placard on Oct. 9, then another the very next day, before clawing its way back to a passing green placard on Oct. 11.
The initial inspection on Oct. 9 turned up 15 violations, according to The Sacramento Bee. Inspectors discovered a dead rat on a glue board in the upstairs dry storage area, counted 130 rodent droppings scattered throughout the restaurant, and found rodent urine pooled on the floor of a back upstairs room. The same visit flagged black growth building up on the walls and deflector plate of the ice machine, along with four staff members missing valid food handler cards.
Inspectors also watched an employee wash their hands using only water, no soap, the Bee reported. That observation points to a violation of California Retail Food Code Section 113953.2, which addresses handwashing cleanser and drying supplies, according to the OC Health Care Agency. Section 113953 calls for handwash sinks to deliver warm water of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
A Second Red Placard Before Any Green Light
Rather than clearing the restaurant, a follow-up visit on Oct. 10 turned up even more evidence of an active infestation. The Bee's report notes that inspectors found three dead rats underneath a couch in the upstairs storage room and counted another 85 rodent droppings across the facility, prompting a second consecutive red placard.
The missing food handler cards tie back to California Health and Safety Code Section 113948, which requires food employees to obtain a valid card within 30 days of hire. Under Senate Bill 476, in effect since January 2024, employers must cover all training costs and pay workers for the time spent earning that certification, per StateFoodSafety. California law also bars employers from demanding a pre-existing food handler card as a condition of hiring.
California Health and Safety Code Section 114259.1 requires food facility premises to be kept free of vermin, according to Justia Law. The violations at Ming Dynasty were found in dry storage areas and upstairs rooms.
From Red to Green in Two Days
A third inspection on Oct. 11 found the restaurant had resolved the violations, and Ming Dynasty passed with a green placard, the Bee reported. Under Sacramento County's color-coded system, a green placard means a restaurant passed inspection, while a red placard signals imminent danger to public health and suspends the establishment's permit until violations are corrected. A yellow placard, by contrast, typically reflects two or more major violations that were corrected or mitigated during the inspection itself, per the county's guide.
Sacramento County's Environmental Health Division lists a standard hourly regulatory rate of $232 for fiscal year 2026-2027, according to the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department.
When the Bee reached out to the restaurant, no manager was onsite. Ming Dynasty has operated at the Broadway address since opening in late January 2018, taking over the banquet space formerly occupied by Fortune House Seafood Restaurant, according to SacramentoRevealed.com. The restaurant earned a Michelin Plate designation in the inaugural 2019 Michelin Guide California, recognizing it among Sacramento's notable dim sum and Cantonese seafood spots.
County Inspection Rates
Sacramento County performs roughly 14,000 food facility inspections a year, and about 97% of establishments pass, with closures resulting from only about 1% of inspections, county spokesman Ken Casparis told the Bee.
The county's online inspection portal offers searches and inspection histories for food facilities. Consumers who want to report suspected violations can contact their local environmental health department, and under state guidance those departments investigate complaints about food served or sold at retail facilities.
