ITHACA SAIGON KITCHEN
526 WEST STATE STREET, ITHACA, NY 14850 · Restaurant (Restaurant)
Inspection summary
ITHACA SAIGON KITCHEN has been inspected 11 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since February 16, 2023. The most recent inspection, on September 17, 2026, found no infractions.
5 of 11 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 3 inspections with 1 infraction recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Handwashing and staff hygiene and Protecting food from contamination.
The last 2 inspections in a row found no infractions. Recent inspections have recorded fewer infractions than earlier ones, so the record is improving.
What these findings mean
Health authorities word their violations differently, so we group them by what they mean for food safety. Higher-risk findings are the ones inspectors treat as critical, because they can directly make someone sick.
Food temperature controlHigher risk
Bacteria multiply fastest between about 4 °C and 60 °C (40 °F to 140 °F). Inspectors check that cold food stays cold, hot food stays hot, cooked food is cooled quickly, and that staff have accurate thermometers. Temperature problems are one of the most common causes of food poisoning, so these are treated as critical findings.
Recorded 6 times across 4 separate inspections, most recently on August 27, 2025. For example:
Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
Handwashing and staff hygieneHigher risk
Hands are the main way germs like norovirus move from people to food. Inspectors look for stocked, accessible handwashing sinks, staff washing hands when required, hair restraints, and sick employees being kept away from food. Gaps here can spread illness quickly.
Recorded 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on August 27, 2025. For example:
Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
Protecting food from contaminationHigher risk
This covers how food is stored, prepared and displayed: raw meat kept away from ready-to-eat food, food covered and stored off the floor, and nothing dripping or splashing into it. Cross-contamination from raw to cooked food is a direct route for salmonella and E. coli.
Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on April 22, 2026. For example:
Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
Equipment and utensilsLower risk
Equipment has to be built from cleanable materials, kept in good repair and stored properly. These findings are mostly about upkeep, like a cracked shelf, a worn gasket or utensils stored the wrong way. They are generally lower risk but show how well the kitchen is maintained.
Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on August 27, 2025. For example:
Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
About this data
These results come from New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), which inspects food premises and other public facilities in this area. We republish the authority's public disclosure data and refresh it regularly; the official record is the final word.
11 inspections
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
- Critical Violation
- 2C: Cooked or prepared foods are subject to cross-contamination from raw foods.
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 10B: Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Not Critical Violation
- 8E: Accurate thermometers not available or used to evaluate refrigerated or heated storage temperatures
- Not Critical Violation
- 12E: Handwashing facilities inaccessible, improperly located, dirty, in disrepair, improper fixtures, soap, and single service towels or hand drying devices missing
- Not Critical Violation
- 10B: Non-food contact surfaces and equipment are improperly designed, constructed, installed, maintained (equipment not readily accessible for cleaning, surface not smooth finish)
- Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
3 infractions
- 3C: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
- Critical Violation
- 5E: Enough refrigerated storage equipment is not present, properly designed, maintained or operated so that all potentially hazardous foods are cooled properly and stored below 45�F as required.
- Critical Violation
- 9B: Tobacco is used; eating, drinking in food preparation, dishwashing food storage areas
- Not Critical Violation
- 3C: Food workers do not use proper utensils to eliminate bare hand contact with cooked or prepared foods.
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 8B: In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
- Not Critical Violation
- 8B: In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
4 infractions
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Critical Violation
- 8A: Food not protected during storage, preparation, display, transportation and service, from potential sources of contamination (e.g., food uncovered, mislabeled, stored on floor, missing or inadequate sneeze guards, food containers double stacked)
- Not Critical Violation
- 6A: Potentially hazardous foods are not kept at or above 140�F during hot holding.
- Critical Violation
- 8F: Improper thawing procedures used
- Not Critical Violation
- 5B: Potentially hazardous foods are not cooled by an approved method where the food temperature can be reduced from 120oF to 70oF or less within two hours and 70oF to 45oF within four hours.
- Inspection
1 infraction
- 8F: Improper thawing procedures used
- Not Critical Violation
- 8F: Improper thawing procedures used
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