Manhattan, NY — Pavlo Mochi, a Japanese restaurant located at 199 Avenue B in Manhattan's East Village, received a score of 86 during a health inspection conducted on March 5, 2025. The score places the establishment well above the 28-point threshold for a Grade C rating under New York City's restaurant grading system. Inspectors documented one critical violation related to hand washing facilities.

What Inspectors Found

During the inspection, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspectors cited Pavlo Mochi for a single critical violation under code 05D, which addresses hand washing facility requirements in food service establishments.

Specifically, inspectors found that no hand washing facility was available in or adjacent to the toilet room, or within 25 feet of a food preparation, food service, or ware washing area. The citation further noted that the hand washing facility was not accessible, was obstructed, or was being used for non-hand washing purposes. Inspectors also documented inadequate conditions including a lack of hot and cold running water or water at inadequate pressure, and the absence of soap or an acceptable hand-drying device.

Despite only one violation being recorded, the score of 86 points reflects the severity with which DOHMH weighs hand washing deficiencies. Hand hygiene is considered one of the most fundamental safeguards against foodborne illness transmission in restaurant settings, and violations in this category carry significant point values under the city's scoring framework.

No non-critical violations were cited during the inspection.

Food Safety Context

Hand washing requirements for food service establishments are governed by NYC Health Code Article 81 and align with the FDA Food Code, which mandates that hand washing sinks must be conveniently located, properly supplied, and exclusively designated for hand washing purposes.

According to the FDA Food Code, hand washing facilities must provide water at a temperature of at least 100°F, be equipped with soap and single-use towels or an air-drying device, and remain accessible and unobstructed at all times during food service operations. These requirements exist because proper hand hygiene is consistently identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the most effective measures to prevent the spread of foodborne pathogens including norovirus, Salmonella, and E. coli.

The absence or inaccessibility of hand washing facilities can compromise the ability of food handlers to maintain proper hygiene between tasks such as handling raw proteins, touching ready-to-eat foods, and returning from restroom use.

DOHMH noted that violations were cited and documented in the relevant area. The establishment was not closed as a result of this inspection.

Inspection History

No prior inspection history is available for Pavlo Mochi in the DOHMH public database. This appears to be the first recorded inspection for this establishment, which may indicate that the restaurant opened recently prior to the inspection date.

It is worth noting that there is a data freshness gap in this case: the inspection was conducted on March 5, 2025, while the data was released by DOHMH on March 11, 2026. Conditions at the restaurant may have changed in the intervening period, and the establishment may have addressed the cited violations since the inspection took place.

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:

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

Pavlo Mochi's score of 86 falls into the Grade C range. Restaurants that receive a Grade C on an initial inspection have the opportunity to request a re-inspection, during which they can demonstrate that violations have been corrected. Restaurants may also contest their grades through an administrative tribunal process.

Consumers can look up the latest inspection results for any New York City restaurant through the DOHMH public database, available online at the NYC Open Data portal. The letter grade posted at a restaurant's entrance reflects its most recent grading outcome, and inspection details including specific violations are available for public review.

More About This Restaurant

View the full inspection history for Pavlo Mochi including all past inspections, violations, and grade changes.