Zen Japanese Restaurant

Inspection summary

Zen Japanese Restaurant has been inspected 17 times by Vancouver Coastal Health since February 10, 2016. The most recent inspection, on December 2, 2025, recorded 5 infractions.

12 of 17 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there was 1 inspection with 5 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Food temperature control, Handwashing and staff hygiene and Pests.

Recent inspections have recorded more infractions than earlier ones, so it is worth reading the latest reports closely.

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 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on December 17, 2018. For example: Potentially hazardous food is at a refrigerated temperature that keeps it safe to eat.

• 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 once on December 2, 2025. For example: Each employee demonstrates good personal hygiene and washes their hands as often as necessary to prevent the contamination of food.

• PestsHigher risk

  Signs of mice, rats, cockroaches or flies, or gaps and clutter that let them get in or hide. Pests carry bacteria and can contaminate food and surfaces, so evidence of activity is treated seriously and usually triggers a follow-up visit.

  Recorded once on December 2, 2025. For example: The premises is free of pests.

• Cleaning and sanitizingHigher risk

  Anything that touches food, such as cutting boards, dishes and utensils, must be washed, rinsed and sanitized. Inspectors check dishwasher temperatures, sanitizer strength and how wiping cloths are stored. Poor sanitizing lets bacteria survive from one use to the next.

  Recorded once on August 15, 2024. For example: All equipment, food contact surfaces, utensils, dishes & glasses used on the premises are washed and sanitized in a manner that removes contamination.

• 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 once on August 8, 2017. For example: Food is handled in a sanitary manner and is not subject to contamination.

About this data

These results come from Vancouver Coastal Health, 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.

• View the official Vancouver Coastal Health disclosure site
• See all inspected facilities in Vancouver Coastal
• How to read an inspection report