Queens, NY — Hong Kong Gourmet, a Chinese restaurant located at 144-20 Northern Boulevard in Flushing, received a score of 45 during a New York City health inspection conducted on March 17, 2026, resulting in a Grade C rating. The inspection, conducted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), identified one critical violation related to food handling procedures for refillable containers. Inspection data was released publicly by DOHMH on April 10, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

Inspectors documented one critical violation during the March visit: the restaurant lacked an approved written standard operating procedure for preventing contamination through the use of refillable or returnable containers, classified under Code 05H.

This type of violation addresses a specific food safety risk associated with reusable containers — vessels that, if improperly handled, can transfer bacteria, allergens, or other contaminants between uses or between customers. Under NYC Health Code Article 81 and aligned guidance from the FDA Food Code, food service establishments are required to maintain written procedures that outline how staff are to handle such containers to prevent cross-contamination. The absence of a documented protocol is classified as a critical violation because it represents a condition with the potential to directly contribute to foodborne illness if not corrected.

No non-critical violations were cited during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

New York City's restaurant inspection program, administered by DOHMH, requires all food service establishments to adhere to the standards established under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs the safe handling, preparation, storage, and service of food. The program closely mirrors the FDA Food Code, a set of science-based recommendations used as a model for food safety regulations across the United States.

Critical violations — those assigned higher point values — are defined as conditions that pose a direct risk to public health. Code 05H specifically targets the contamination risk posed by refillable or returnable containers, such as reusable takeout containers, beverage dispensers, or customer-supplied vessels. Even in the absence of an observable contamination event, the lack of a written standard operating procedure is itself a citable condition under DOHMH inspection protocols.

A score of 45 points places Hong Kong Gourmet well within the Grade C range. Restaurants that receive a Grade C may request a re-inspection or appeal their score through the DOHMH administrative tribunal process.

Inspection History

According to DOHMH data, no prior inspection history is available for Hong Kong Gourmet at this location. This appears to be the first recorded inspection on file in the public dataset.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's letter grading system, introduced in 2010, is designed to give the public a quick, visible indicator of a restaurant's sanitary conditions at the time of its most recent inspection. Grades are posted in restaurant windows and reflect the cumulative point score assigned during an unannounced DOHMH inspection:

  • Grade A: Score of 0–13 points (lowest number of violations)
  • Grade B: Score of 14–27 points
  • Grade C: Score of 28 or more points

Individual violations are assigned point values based on their severity and potential public health impact. Critical violations carry higher point values than non-critical ones, which is why a single critical violation can contribute substantially to a total score.

Restaurants that receive a B or C grade on their initial inspection are typically re-inspected within a set timeframe. The grade posted in the window reflects the most recent completed inspection cycle.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Hong Kong Gourmet including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.