SF Japanese Restaurant Gets Conditional Pass with Minor Issues

Kufu-ya Japanese Rest Inc on Geary Boulevard received a conditional pass during its November 13 health inspection, allowing the popular Outer Richmond Japanese restaurant to continue serving customers while addressing minor violations that require correction. The routine inspection conducted at 7001 Geary Boulevard found seven total violations, with five classified as major and two as minor. Importantly, one violation was corrected on-site during the inspection, demonstrating the restaurant's immediate responsiveness to inspector feedback. The establishment can remain open to diners while working to resolve the remaining issues.

Inspection Details

During this inspection, conducted between 4:00 PM and 5:30 PM, inspector findings centered primarily on administrative and maintenance issues rather than immediate food safety threats. The most significant concern involved expired food safety manager and food handler certifications, which require updated documentation to be submitted to the health department. Equipment maintenance emerged as another key area requiring attention. Inspectors noted dust accumulation on refrigerator cooling fan covers and cracking gaskets with black growth on door seams. These maintenance issues, while requiring prompt attention, do not pose immediate risks to food safety when properly managed. A temperature control violation was discovered and immediately corrected when inspectors found a sauce being held at room temperature in a hot-holding unit that had recently been turned on. Restaurant staff quickly moved the sauce to the stove for proper reheating to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, demonstrating good cooperation with inspector guidance.

Cleaning and Maintenance Requirements

Several cleaning violations were documented throughout the kitchen facilities. Grease buildup was observed in fryer service compartments and the ventilation hood, with restaurant management already having scheduled professional cleaning services. Additional cleaning needs were identified on dishwasher surfaces and kitchen floor areas, particularly underneath equipment where food debris and grease had accumulated. The restaurant also needs to update its physical menu to include proper consumer advisory language for raw foods. Management indicated they had already printed updated menus with the required disclaimers but had not yet replaced the physical menus in use.

Neighborhood Context and Accessibility

Located along the busy Geary Boulevard corridor near the 38 Geary bus line, Kufu-ya Japanese serves the diverse Outer Richmond community. The restaurant's location makes it easily accessible to both neighborhood residents and visitors exploring the area's extensive Japanese dining scene.

Restaurant History and Next Steps

This marks the first recorded inspection for the establishment in available public records, making it difficult to assess long-term compliance patterns. The conditional pass status requires the restaurant to address all cited violations and submit required documentation to inspector Jessica Jang at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. The restaurant's prompt on-site correction of the temperature violation and management's proactive scheduling of hood cleaning services suggest a commitment to meeting health department standards. Once all required corrections are completed and documentation submitted, the restaurant should achieve full compliance status. Customers can continue dining at Kufu-ya Japanese while the establishment works to resolve these administrative and maintenance issues, which do not affect the restaurant's ability to serve safe food to the public.