Manhattan, NY — Lou Yau Kee Hainan Chicken Rice II, a Chinese restaurant located at 230 Park Avenue near Grand Central Terminal, received a Grade C score of 45 following a health inspection conducted on March 12, 2026. Inspectors documented three critical violations, all related to food temperature control and equipment sanitation.

The inspection data was released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) on March 16, 2026.

What Inspectors Found

The inspection identified three critical violations at the establishment, with a particular focus on temperature control failures for time and temperature controlled for safety (TCS) foods.

The most serious finding involved hot TCS food items not being held at or above the required 140 °F minimum temperature (violation code 02B). When hot foods fall below this threshold, they enter the temperature range between 41 °F and 140 °F — commonly referred to as the "danger zone" — where harmful bacteria can multiply rapidly, potentially doubling in number every 20 minutes.

Inspectors also cited the restaurant for failing to cool TCS food using an approved method after cooking or removal from hot holding (violation code 02H). FDA Food Code guidelines require that cooked foods be cooled from 140 °F to 70 °F within two hours, and from 70 °F to 41 °F within an additional four hours. Failure to follow this two-stage cooling process allows extended time in temperature ranges where bacterial growth is most active.

The third critical violation involved the improper use or storage of sanitized equipment or utensils, including in-use food dispensing utensils (violation code 06E). Proper sanitation and storage of food-contact surfaces is a fundamental requirement for preventing cross-contamination.

No non-critical violations were recorded during this inspection.

Food Safety Context

The violations documented at this establishment relate to core food safety principles outlined in both the FDA Food Code and NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food service establishments in New York City.

Temperature control is considered one of the most important factors in preventing foodborne illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, improper holding temperatures and inadequate cooling are among the leading contributing factors in foodborne illness outbreaks in restaurant settings. TCS foods — which include cooked meats, rice, eggs, and certain prepared dishes — are particularly susceptible to bacterial growth when held at improper temperatures.

The two-stage cooling requirement exists because the transition from hot to cold is the period when food spends the most time in the danger zone. Without active cooling methods such as ice baths, shallow panning, or blast chilling, large volumes of food may remain at unsafe temperatures for hours.

Equipment sanitation violations, while sometimes overlooked, can serve as vectors for cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods or between different allergen groups.

Inspection History

No prior inspection history is available for this establishment in the DOHMH database. This may indicate that the restaurant is a relatively new establishment or is operating under a recently issued permit. The March 12, 2026 inspection represents the first recorded inspection on file.

Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades

New York City's restaurant grading system, administered by DOHMH, assigns letter grades based on the total number of violation points recorded during an inspection. Each violation carries a specific point value, with critical violations receiving higher point values than general (non-critical) violations.

The grade thresholds are as follows:

  • Grade A: 0 to 13 points
  • Grade B: 14 to 27 points
  • Grade C: 28 or more points

With a score of 45, Lou Yau Kee Hainan Chicken Rice II scored well above the 28-point Grade C threshold. Restaurants receiving a Grade B or C may request a re-inspection or an adjudicatory hearing through the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH).

Consumers can look up the full inspection history of any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH restaurant inspection database, available online at the city's open data portal. The restaurant's letter grade is required to be posted at the entrance of the establishment.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Lou Yau Kee Hainan Chicken Rice Ii including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.