Brooklyn, NY — China Dragon, a Chinese restaurant at 4320 18th Avenue in Brooklyn, received a score of 38 during a health inspection conducted on March 30, 2026, placing it in the Grade C category under New York City's restaurant grading system. The inspection data was released by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on April 2, 2026.
The single violation cited was critical in nature, involving improper holding temperatures for hot food items — a classification that carries significant weight under city health standards.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March 30 visit: hot time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food was not held at or above 140°F, as required under Code 02B.
Hot TCS foods — a category that includes cooked meats, poultry, rice, and similar items — must be maintained at or above 140°F when held for service. Temperatures below that threshold allow bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella, Listeria, and Clostridium perfringens, to multiply at rates that can pose a risk to consumers. The violation applies to any point in the service process where hot food is staged or held, such as steam tables, warming units, or holding trays.
No non-critical violations were recorded during the visit. The single critical citation was nonetheless sufficient to generate a score of 38, which falls within the Grade C range under DOHMH's scoring methodology.
No closure order was issued in connection with this inspection.
Food Safety Context
NYC Health Code Article 81 governs food service establishments operating in the five boroughs and establishes the temperature requirements that inspectors apply during routine and unannounced inspections. The hot holding threshold of 140°F is consistent with FDA Food Code guidance, which identifies the temperature danger zone — between 41°F and 140°F — as the range in which harmful bacteria multiply most rapidly.
Critical violations are defined by DOHMH as those most likely to contribute to foodborne illness if not corrected. They are weighted more heavily in scoring than non-critical violations, which relate to operational and facility conditions rather than direct food safety hazards.
Each inspection point contributes to a cumulative score, and that score determines the letter grade posted at the restaurant. A single critical temperature violation can carry a significant point value depending on severity and scope.
Inspection History
China Dragon's inspection record prior to the March 2026 visit reflects consistent compliance over several years. The restaurant earned Grade A scores across four consecutive inspections:
- 2026-06-10: Score 7 (Grade A)
- 2024-12-06: Score 12 (Grade A)
- 2023-05-22: Score 11 (Grade A)
- 2022-05-19: Score 10 (Grade A)
The June 2026 entry — which postdates the March inspection — reflects a subsequent visit in which the restaurant scored a 7, well within the Grade A range. That result suggests the temperature issue identified in March was addressed. DOHMH inspection records are updated on a rolling basis, and multiple inspections may occur within a calendar year depending on a restaurant's compliance history and score trajectory.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City requires all restaurants to post their most recent letter grade in a visible location near the entrance. Grades are determined by the score received during inspection:
- A: 0 to 13 points (highest rating)
- B: 14 to 27 points
- C: 28 or more points
A restaurant that scores in the B or C range on an initial inspection may request a reinspection, at which point a new score — and potentially a new grade — is calculated. The grade posted must reflect the most recent graded inspection result.
Consumers can search the full inspection history for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH's online restaurant inspection lookup tool at nyc.gov/health.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for China Dragon including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.