Bien Hen Seafood & Lau: 13 Health Violations — Full Report

14092 Magnolia St Ste 121, Westminster, CA 92683

13 violations found during inspection on March 26, 2026.

Thirteen violations in a single inspection is a speedrun nobody asked for. Fish thawing on the floor (yes, the actual kitchen floor), a cooler that can't keep things below 41F, rice scoops swimming in room-temperature water, missing ceiling panels, and enough grime to qualify as a condiment. Oh, and 20 pounds of Manila clams had to be thrown away on the spot. The clams didn't make it. Neither did our appetite.

What the Inspector Found

Here's every violation the inspector documented, in their own words:

• Wiping cloths: properly used and stored — WIPING CLOTH STORAGE - Although sanitizer buckets were set up, multi-use wiping cloths were observed stored outside of the bucket. Discontinue holding multi-use wiping cloths outside of the sanitizer solution between uses. Store wiping cloths in an approved sanitizer solution (e.g., 100 ppm chlorine, 200 ppm quaternary ammonium or 25 ppm iodine) between uses, or provide a clean cloth for each use.
• Food storage; food storage containers identified — Observed food store on the floor throughout the facility. Maintain food item 6-inches off the floor.
• Plumbing; proper backflow devices — Provide a 1-inch gap between drain line of dishmachine and floor sink.
• Nonfood-contact surfaces clean — 1. Clean to remove grime accumulation on the gasket of the 2-door reach-in cooler at cook's line.
• Premises: personal/cleaning items; vermin-proofing — 1. EMPLOYEE BELONGINGS - Observed employee's personal items store at food prep area. Maintain employee clothing and personal effects in a room, enclosure, lockers, or other designated area or designated area separated from toilets, food storage, food preparation areas and utensil washing areas.
• Floors, walls and ceilings: built, maintained, and clean — 1. Repair/replace missing ceiling panels above dishmachine and walk-in freezer.
• Equipment/Utensils - approved; installed; good repair; capacity — 1. REPAIR REFRIGERATION - Observed the 3-door reach-in cooler to be unable to hold temp below 41F. Repair/Adjust the refrigeration unit (s) so that the potentially hazardous foods are maintained at or below 41F. Do not store potentially hazardous food in this cooler until it has been verified to hold temperature below 41F.
• Approved thawing methods used, frozen food — A container of frozen salted fish was thawing on the floor in the kitchen. Discontinue improperly thawing potentially hazardous foods. Thaw all frozen potentially hazardous foods by one or more of the following methods: a) in refrigeration units b) in a microwave oven if immediately followed by immediate preparation c) as part of the cooking process d) completely submerged under potable running water for a period not to exceed two hours at a water temperature of 70 F or below and with sufficient water velocity to agitate and flush off loose particles into the sink drain. Plan ahead as different methods of thawing could take additional time and effort.
• Equipment, utensils and linens: storage and use — Observed a rice scoops to be stored in sitting water at room temperature. Store in-use utensils that are used with potentially hazardous food in a sanitary container and clean the utensils at least every four hours, or in a container of water if the water is maintained at a temperature of at least 135F, or in running water of sufficient velocity to flush particulates to the drain if used with moist food such as ice cream or mashed potatoes.
• Food separated and protected — COVERS FOR FOOD CONTAINER - Observed uncover food containers in the kitchen. Provide sanitary, non-absorbent and approved coverings on all open food containers except when in use.
• Adequate ventilation and lighting; designated areas, use — Clean to remove grease accumulation on the ventilation filter and hoods.
• Thermometers provided and accurate — PROBE THERMOMETER - A probe thermometer was not available for use during the time of inspection. Provide a thermometer with a range between 0-220F.

Food Destroyed

The inspector required the following food to be discarded: - 20 pounds of Manilla clams.

When the inspector orders food thrown away, you know it's bad. This means the food was determined to be unsafe for human consumption.

The Bottom Line

With 13 violations, Bien Hen Seafood & Lau earned the dubious honor of the most violations in a single OC inspection this month. The issues here aren't just cosmetic — a broken cooler that can't maintain safe temperatures, food thawing on the floor, and vermin-proofing gaps are the kind of problems that can genuinely make people sick. The fact that 20 pounds of clams had to be destroyed tells you the inspector saw food that was already unsafe to serve. If you're a regular here, it might be worth waiting until after the reinspection to go back.

What Happens Next

A reinspection has been scheduled to verify these violations are corrected. If they pass, they'll return to normal operations. If not, further action may be taken including potential closure.

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View the official inspection report (PDF)

All data sourced from the Orange County Health Care Agency. Violations are matters of public record.