Manhattan, NY — Iden & Quanjude, a Chinese restaurant located at 3 East 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, received a score of 46 during a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspection conducted on December 10, 2025. The score places the establishment well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C, the lowest letter grade assigned under New York City's restaurant grading system.
Iden & Quanjude restaurant inspection" width="400" height="225" loading="eager" decoding="async" class="article-featured-image">The inspection identified two non-critical violations related to drainage infrastructure and food thawing procedures. The DOHMH action noted that violations were cited but no closure was ordered at the time of inspection.
What Inspectors Found
During the December 2025 inspection, DOHMH inspectors documented the following violations at the East 52nd Street location:
The first violation, coded 10B, cited the restaurant for issues with anti-siphonage or back-flow prevention devices not being provided where required. Inspectors also noted that equipment or floors were not properly drained, and that condensation or liquid waste was being improperly disposed of. Back-flow prevention devices are critical components of a restaurant's plumbing infrastructure, designed to prevent contaminated water from flowing backward into the clean water supply.
The second violation, coded 09B, documented improper thawing procedures. The NYC Health Code requires that frozen foods be thawed using approved methods — in a refrigerator, under cold running water, as part of the cooking process, or in a microwave when food will be cooked immediately afterward. Thawing food at room temperature or in standing water creates conditions where bacteria can multiply rapidly as the outer portions of food reach temperatures within the "danger zone" of 41°F to 140°F.
While both violations were classified as non-critical rather than critical, the combined score of 46 points indicates that inspectors assessed significant point values for the conditions observed.
Food Safety Context
New York City's restaurant inspection program operates under NYC Health Code Article 81, which establishes sanitation standards for all food service establishments. The program aligns with the FDA Food Code, which provides science-based guidance for food safety practices nationwide.
Drainage and plumbing violations carry particular weight in health inspections because compromised plumbing systems can create pathways for contamination. Back-flow prevention devices serve as barriers between wastewater and potable water supplies. When these systems are absent or malfunctioning, there is a potential for cross-contamination that could affect food preparation areas.
Improper thawing is one of the more commonly cited food handling violations across New York City restaurants. The FDA Food Code identifies time-temperature abuse during thawing as a contributing factor in foodborne illness, as it allows pathogenic bacteria to reach levels that may cause illness before food is cooked.
Inspection History
No prior DOHMH inspection history is available for Iden & Quanjude at this location. This December 2025 inspection represents the first recorded inspection in the publicly available dataset. It is worth noting that the absence of prior records may indicate the establishment is relatively new, or that earlier inspection data predates the current public dataset.
The inspection data for this visit was released by DOHMH on March 3, 2026, approximately three months after the inspection was conducted. Conditions at the restaurant may have changed since the inspection date.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City assigns letter grades to restaurants based on violation point totals accumulated during inspections. Lower scores indicate fewer or less severe violations:
- A: 0 to 13 points
- B: 14 to 27 points
- C: 28 or more points
A score of 46 falls significantly above the Grade C threshold of 28 points. Restaurants that receive a Grade B or C on an initial inspection are offered a re-inspection opportunity, typically within 30 days, to improve their score. Restaurants may also request an adjudicatory hearing to contest inspection results through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings.
Consumers can look up current inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH's publicly accessible database or by checking the letter grade card posted at the restaurant entrance, as required by law.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Iden & Quanjude including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.