ZOU CHINESE CUISINE
252 MERRICK ROAD, LYNBROOK, NY 11563 · Restaurant (Food Service Establishment)
Inspection summary
ZOU CHINESE CUISINE has been inspected 5 times by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) since June 11, 2025. The most recent inspection, on April 27, 2026, found no infractions.
2 of 5 inspections on record found no infractions at all. In the past 12 months there were 3 inspections with 6 infractions recorded. The higher-risk findings here relate to: Cleaning and sanitizing, Food temperature control and Pests.
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.
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 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on April 17, 2026. For example:
Food (ice) contact surfaces are improperly designed, constructed, installed, located (cracks, open seams, pitted surfaces, tin cans reused, uncleanable or corroded food contact surfaces)
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 3 times across 3 separate inspections, most recently on April 17, 2026. For example:
Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
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 June 11, 2025. For example:
Premises littered, unnecessary equipment and article present, living quarters no completely separated for food service operations, live animals, birds and pets not excluded
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 3 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on April 6, 2026. For example:
In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
Food safety training and certificationLower risk
Most jurisdictions require a certified food handler or manager on site, and some require allergen or food-worker training. These findings mean the paperwork or the trained person was missing at the time. They do not by themselves mean food was handled unsafely.
Recorded 2 times across 2 separate inspections, most recently on April 6, 2026. For example:
Pesticide application not supervised by a certified applicator
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.
5 inspections
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Re-Inspection
2 infractions
- 10A: Food (ice) contact surfaces are improperly designed, constructed, installed, located (cracks, open seams, pitted surfaces, tin cans reused, uncleanable or corroded food contact surfaces)
- Not Critical Violation
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Critical Violation
- 10A: Food (ice) contact surfaces are improperly designed, constructed, installed, located (cracks, open seams, pitted surfaces, tin cans reused, uncleanable or corroded food contact surfaces)
- Inspection
4 infractions
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Critical Violation
- 8B: In use food dispensing utensils improperly stored
- Not Critical Violation
- 14C: Pesticide application not supervised by a certified applicator
- Not Critical Violation
- 10A: Food (ice) contact surfaces are improperly designed, constructed, installed, located (cracks, open seams, pitted surfaces, tin cans reused, uncleanable or corroded food contact surfaces)
- Not Critical Violation
- 5C: Potentially hazardous foods are not stored under refrigeration except during necessary preparation or approved precooling procedures (room temperature storage).
- Re-Inspection
0 infractions
- Inspection
6 infractions
- 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
- 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.
- Critical Violation
- 16: Miscellaneous, Economic Violation, Choking Poster, Training.
- Not Critical Violation
- 15C: Premises littered, unnecessary equipment and article present, living quarters no completely separated for food service operations, live animals, birds and pets not excluded
- Not Critical Violation
- 11B: Wiping cloths dirty, not stored properly in sanitizing solutions
- Not Critical Violation
- 12C: Plumbing and sinks not properly sized, installed, maintained; equipment and floors not properly drained
- Not Critical Violation
- 11D: Non food contact surfaces of equipment not clean
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