Food

Miami restaurant’s different name, same game — rodents and moldy food

This is Sichuan Fish Restaurant back in 2022 when it was CY Chinese Restaurant Szechuan Cuisine, 1242 NE 163rd St.. The restaurant got rid of the old name, but can’t seem to get rid of the rodents.
This is Sichuan Fish Restaurant back in 2022 when it was CY Chinese Restaurant Szechuan Cuisine, 1242 NE 163rd St.. The restaurant got rid of the old name, but can’t seem to get rid of the rodents. dneal@miamiherald.com

Changing the name of a North Miami Beach restaurant didn’t change anything about its state inspection, including the rodents and filth.

Tuesday’s inspection at Sichuan Fish, 1242 NE 163rd St., was a routine one —being part of the regular rotation and the Chinese restaurant at that address failing it miserably. As CY Chinese Restaurant, rodents, foul, funky smells, bad plumbing and other food safety violations earned four shutdowns from 2022 to 2024.

READ MORE: A Miami 7-Eleven had to toss croquetas and pastelitos. Don’t blame the ants

In April 2024, state records say CY Chinese Restaurant, run by Y and C Restaurant Inc. and president Xianguang Yang became Sichuan Fish Restaurant, run by president Hanping Yang. It even received a “Met Inspection Standards” on its 2024 and 2025 inspections, albeit after “Follow-Up Inspection Required” on at least the initial inspection.

Then came Tuesday.

“Food with mold-like growth ... observed three cases with Spicy Mala Soup Base with Beef Tallow, with mold-like growth in the walk-in cooler.”

Also in the walk-in cooler, fried rice that complements many dishes sat uncovered. Cases of vegetables and water sat on the walk-in cooler floor.

Uncovered food and food sitting directly on the floor probably isn’t what you want when you’ve got rodents doing their solid business around the restaurant. There were six droppings in dry storage; four on the kitchen floor; one on top of a box of clean garbage bags on front counter shelves; and one under the dishwasher.

Also under the dishwasher: “the floor was covered in standing water.”

Both outside and inside the dishwasher, the inspector saw “an accumulation of debris.”

A “food-contact surface was soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime.” The inspector didn’t specify which surface that was.

The “cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable.”

A “soiled, dry wiping cloth” was being used insteads of a wet wiping cloth fresh out of sanitizer solution.

The handwash sink lacked soap or any way to dry hands.

After seven pieces of rodent regularity on a dry storage shelf ruined Wednesday’s re-inspection, Sichuan Fish managed to get open with a “Follow-Up Inspection Required” on Thursday.

This is Sichuan Fish Restaurant back in 2022 when it was CY Chinese Restaurant Szechuan Cuisine, 1242 NE 163rd St.. The restaurant got rid of the old name, but can’t seem to get rid of the rodents.
This is Sichuan Fish Restaurant back in 2022 when it was CY Chinese Restaurant Szechuan Cuisine, 1242 NE 163rd St.. The restaurant got rid of the old name, but can’t seem to get rid of the rodents. DAVID J. NEAL dneal@miamiherald.com
David J. Neal
Miami Herald
Since 1989, David J. Neal’s domain at the Miami Herald has expanded to include writing about Panthers (NHL and FIU), Dolphins, old school animation, food safety, fraud, naughty lawyers, bad doctors and all manner of breaking news. He drinks coladas whole. He does not work Indianapolis 500 Race Day.
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