Manhattan, NY — Mala Town, a Chinese restaurant at 929 Amsterdam Avenue, was closed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) following an inspection conducted April 22, 2026. Inspectors recorded a score of 85 points and cited two critical violations and one non-critical violation. Establishments scoring 28 or more points fall into the C grade range under NYC's inspection scoring system.
The closure came after inspectors determined that violations requiring immediate action were present. Those violations were addressed on site as a condition of any future reopening.
What Inspectors Found
Inspectors documented three violations during the April 22 visit.
The first critical violation, cited under Code 04H, found that raw, cooked, or prepared food was adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with the establishment's HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) plan. This type of violation directly implicates the safety of food being served to customers.
The second critical violation, cited under Code 06C, found that food, supplies, or equipment were not adequately protected from potential contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, or service. Inspectors also noted that condiments were not provided in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor — a requirement designed to prevent cross-contamination between customers.
The non-critical violation, cited under Code 08A, found that the establishment was not free of harborage conditions or conditions conducive to rodents, insects, or other pests.
Food Safety Context
The violations recorded at Mala Town touch on core requirements established under NYC Health Code Article 81, which governs food safety standards for all permitted food service establishments in New York City. Article 81 incorporates principles drawn from the FDA Food Code, the federal reference standard for food safety practices in retail and food service settings.
Critical violations — those involving contamination risk, improper food handling, or conditions that can directly cause foodborne illness — are weighted more heavily in the NYC scoring system. Each critical violation carries a base penalty of 7 points, with adjustments based on the degree of the violation. Non-critical violations, which relate to sanitation and maintenance conditions, carry lower point values but contribute to the overall score.
A score of 85 points is significantly above the closure-level threshold. Under NYC's grading system, a score of 0 to 13 points earns a Grade A; 14 to 27 points results in a Grade B; and 28 or more points places an establishment in the C range. A score of 85 indicates inspectors found violations of substantial number or severity.
The DOHMH noted that the violations requiring immediate action were addressed on site. This is a standard procedural outcome for closure inspections: an establishment may be permitted to reopen once the conditions that prompted closure are corrected and verified.
Inspection History
Mala Town's inspection record prior to the April 2026 closure shows variation in performance:
- April 16, 2025: Score 10 (Grade A)
- January 28, 2025: Score 35
The January 2025 inspection resulted in a score of 35 points, placing the restaurant in the C range at that time. Three months later, in April 2025, the restaurant scored 10 points — a Grade A result. The April 2026 inspection represents a significant departure from that most recent A-grade outcome.
Inspection scores can vary between visits based on the conditions present on the day of inspection, staffing, food volume, and compliance with corrective actions taken since prior inspections.
The inspection data cited in this article was released by DOHMH on April 27, 2026, five days after the inspection was conducted.
Understanding NYC Restaurant Grades
New York City requires restaurants to post their most recent inspection grade in a visible location. Grades are assigned based on the point score from the most recent scored inspection:
- Grade A: 0–13 points
- Grade B: 14–27 points
- Grade C: 28 or more points
When a restaurant is closed or has an inspection under adjudication, a Grade Pending card may be posted in place of a letter grade. Restaurants have the right to request an administrative hearing to contest violations before a final grade is assigned.
Consumers can look up the full inspection history for any permitted NYC restaurant through the DOHMH's NYC Restaurant Inspection Results database, available through the city's open data portal at data.cityofnewyork.us. The database is updated regularly as new inspection data is released.
More About This Restaurant
View the full inspection history for Mala Town including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.