Sohunan Chinese Restaurant Gets Conditional Pass on Reinspection

Sohunan, a Chinese restaurant located at 674 Sacramento Street in San Francisco's Financial District, received a conditional pass during its August 29 reinspection, demonstrating significant improvement in addressing previous health violations while still requiring attention to employee certification requirements. The reinspection, conducted by inspector John Wells from 11:30 AM to 11:45 AM, found that the restaurant had successfully corrected the majority of violations identified during its previous failed inspection on August 22. Notable improvements included obtaining a food safety manager certification, fixing dishwasher chlorine sanitization levels, restoring proper hot water temperatures, and thoroughly cleaning areas where mouse droppings had been previously observed.

Outstanding Certification Requirements

Despite these improvements, this inspection identified one remaining minor violation that prevented a full passing grade. The facility was found to have food handler cards available for only one out of approximately four employees working at the location. California Retail Food Code Section 113947.1 requires all food service employees to maintain current food handler certifications, with evidence readily available for review during inspections. The inspector's report specifically noted that the restaurant must "require all employees to have a food handler card" and "maintain evidence of certification onsite and available for review." This violation falls under the Food Safety Manager Certification and Food Handler Card category, classified as a minor infraction that does not require immediate closure but must be addressed promptly.

Inspection History and Progress

The conditional pass represents significant progress for Sohunan following its previous failed reinspection just one week earlier. During that August 22 inspection, the restaurant faced multiple serious violations including the absence of a food safety manager, dishwasher sanitizer levels at 0 parts per million, inadequate hot water temperatures, and the presence of mouse droppings in food preparation areas. The rapid turnaround demonstrates the restaurant's commitment to addressing health and safety concerns. Within seven days, management successfully hired or certified a food safety manager, repaired equipment issues affecting sanitation, restored proper water heating systems, and implemented thorough pest control measures.

Continued Operations

The conditional pass status allows Sohunan to continue serving customers while working to obtain the remaining food handler certifications for its staff. Located near the Embarcadero BART station, the restaurant serves the busy Financial District lunch crowd and remains operational during normal business hours. Food handler card training typically takes several hours to complete and can be obtained online or through in-person classes. The certification covers essential topics including proper food handling techniques, temperature control, personal hygiene, and contamination prevention - all critical elements in maintaining food safety standards. Restaurant management, led by owner Zhus Enterprises Inc., will need to schedule a follow-up inspection once all employees have obtained their food handler certifications. The inspector emphasized that while this violation is minor in nature, proper employee training is fundamental to preventing foodborne illnesses and maintaining public health standards. The restaurant's phone number, (415) 693-8711, remains active for customers wanting to verify current operational status or make reservations while the establishment works toward full compliance with all health department requirements.