CalgaryDOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL CORE
103 - 435 4 Avenue SW
Not in Compliance
4 violations were found at the most recent inspection.
Source: Alberta Health Services Environmental Public Health
June 3, 2026
Raw sushi fish container being thawed was observed stored directly above ready to eat foods in the cooler closest to the office area. Ensure that raw fish are stored separate to any ready to eat foods to prevent potential contamination., , **The thawing raw fish container was moved to a separate area during the inspection.
1. Chlorine test strips were not available at the time of inspection. Ensure valid test strips are available to stuff at all times to test sanitizer concentration for effective sanitization., , **Obtain new test strips, , 2. pH test strips were not available at time of inspection for regular verification of sushi rice acidity. Sushi rice acidity must be at 4.6 or less in order to be able to store sushi rice at room temperature. , Sushi rice acidity was acceptable., , **Obtain pH test strips.
OUTSTANDING on 6/03/2026, , The light covers in the grill line and the dishwashing area are cracked. , , Lights covers must be maintained in good repair to prevent physical contamination of food. , , Replace the light covers.
There is food debris accumulating in the following areas: , - Underneath and behind the grill OUTSTANDING - More frequent cleaning is required., - Near the chest freezer CORRECTED, - Along the baseboards and corners CORRECTED, - Underneath the counter where sushi is prepared - CORRECTED, , The facility must be maintained in a clean and sanitary manner to prevent the attraction of pests. , , Please clean.
Koto Sushi is in the DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL CORE neighbourhood. DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL CORE, Calgary has 683 restaurants tracked on Pass or Fail, inspected by Alberta Health Services Environmental Public Health. As of July 30, 2026, there are 475 (70%) In Compliance on their most recent inspection, with none Not in Compliance and 1 (0%) Closed.
This record comes from Alberta Health Services Environmental Public Health, which inspects food premises across Alberta. Inspectors record any violations of applicable health regulations on each visit. The result above is the most recent inspection on file.
In Compliance means no violations were outstanding at that visit. Not in Compliance means one or more violations were found that weren't corrected on site. Closed means the inspector ordered the premises to stop serving customers until the issues were corrected.
Van Express
DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL CORE
This restaurant has been inspected 16 times since June 13, 2023, with 1 in compliance, 15 not in compliance, and 0 closures on record.
4 violations
Raw sushi fish container being thawed was observed stored directly above ready to eat foods in the cooler closest to the office area. Ensure that raw fish are stored separate to any ready to eat foods to prevent potential contamination., , **The thawing raw fish container was moved to a separate area during the inspection.
1. Chlorine test strips were not available at the time of inspection. Ensure valid test strips are available to stuff at all times to test sanitizer concentration for effective sanitization., , **Obtain new test strips, , 2. pH test strips were not available at time of inspection for regular verification of sushi rice acidity. Sushi rice acidity must be at 4.6 or less in order to be able to store sushi rice at room temperature. , Sushi rice acidity was acceptable., , **Obtain pH test strips.
OUTSTANDING on 6/03/2026, , The light covers in the grill line and the dishwashing area are cracked. , , Lights covers must be maintained in good repair to prevent physical contamination of food. , , Replace the light covers.
There is food debris accumulating in the following areas: , - Underneath and behind the grill OUTSTANDING - More frequent cleaning is required., - Near the chest freezer CORRECTED, - Along the baseboards and corners CORRECTED, - Underneath the counter where sushi is prepared - CORRECTED, , The facility must be maintained in a clean and sanitary manner to prevent the attraction of pests. , , Please clean.
4 violations
The light covers in the grill line and the dishwashing area are cracked. , , Lights covers must be maintained in good repair to prevent physical contamination of food. , , Replace the light covers.
There is mold growing in the ice machine., , The ice machine must be maintained in a clean and sanitary manner to prevent contamination of ice. , Discontinue the use of the ice machine, discard the ice, then clean and sanitize. , , Refrain from using the ice machine until it has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
***Outstanding violation - noted April 1, 2025***, , January 18, 2024 - , The back storage rooms are cluttered and disorganized rendering it hard to access the rooms for cleaning and pest control. , , Please clean and organize these rooms to allow for proper access to the space to easily clean and proper pest control monitoring.
11 violations
Staff members are not performing regular hand hygiene in between tasks. Observed staff rinsing their hands with just water. , , Hands must be washed with soap and water then dried with paper towels to sufficiently remove contamination. Ensure hands are regularly washed, especially in between different tasks. , , The staff member was informed to wash their hands properly with soap, water, and dried with paper towels at the time of the inspection.
Observed staff members moistening their hands by dipping it inside an insert where water is flowing through and/or rinsing their hands under the running water where carrots and kale were stored inside the basin., , When making sushi, moistening the hands must be done in a safe and sanitary manner. Refrain from moistening the hands by dipping inside the insert and avoid moistening the hands above food as this can result in contamination. , , The operators removed the kale and carrots away from the tap at the time of the inspection and were informed to moisten their hands under cold running water.
2 violations
, , *Soap and paper towels had been moved from kitchen cooking line sink. Tim will replace and will ensure that all sinks have been supplied with soap and paper towels*,
The back storage rooms are cluttered and disorganized rendering it hard to access the rooms for cleaning and pest control. , , Please clean and organize these rooms to allow for proper access to the space to easily clean and proper pest control monitoring.
1 violation
The back storage rooms are cluttered and disorganized rendering it hard to access the rooms for cleaning and pest control. , , Please clean and organize these rooms to allow for proper access to the space to easily clean and proper pest control monitoring.
3 violations
Chlorine-based sanitizer bottles were unlabeled. , , Please ensure all chemical bottles are labeled in a manner that allows for identification of the contents and safe use.
The facilities expired food handling permit was posted. , , Please print and post a copy of your valid 2024 food handling permit in a location that is visible to the public.
The back storage rooms are cluttered and disorganized rendering it hard to access the rooms for cleaning and pest control. , , Please clean and organize these rooms to allow for proper access to the space to easily clean and proper pest control monitoring.
6 violations
Chlorine-based sanitizer bottles were unlabeled. , , Please ensure all chemical bottles are labeled in a manner that allows for identification of the contents and safe use.
The facility is preparing and serving sushi rice but does not have pH papers or a pH meter to test and verify the pH of the rice. , , Sushi rice must be mixed to a pH of 4.6 or lower (more acidic) to ensure it is shelf stable. The rice was tested with the PHI's test strips on-site and had a pH of 4.0 (Satisfactory). , , Please obtain pH test strips or a pH meter to be able to test and verify the pH of the sushi rice.
The facilities expired food handling permit was posted. , , Please print and post a copy of your valid 2024 food handling permit in a location that is visible to the public.
6 violations
Chlorine-based sanitizer bottles were unlabeled. , , Please ensure all chemical bottles are labeled in a manner that allows for identification of the contents and safe use.
1) The facility is using a chlorine-based surface sanitizer and has a chlorine-based sanitizing mechanical dishwasher but was unable to locate chlorine test strips. , , Please obtain chlorine test strips to be able to test and verify the concentration of both the surface sanitizer and mechanical dishwasher. , , 2) The facility is preparing and serving sushi rice but does not have pH papers or a pH meter to test and verify the pH of the rice. , , Sushi rice must be mixed to a pH of 4.6 or lower (more acidic) to ensure it is shelf stable. The rice was tested with the PHI's test strips on-site and had a pH of 4.0 (Satisfactory). , , Please obtain pH test strips or a pH meter to be able to test and verify the pH of the sushi rice.
8 violations
The plastic wrap on the bamboo sushi mats is only changed twice a day. , , Bamboo mats used for sushi preparation should be wrapped in food grade plastic wrap. Replace the plastic wrap every 2 hours and each time there is contact with a different species of raw fish., , Please increase the frequency of changing the plastic wrap on the bamboo mats.
Chlorine-based sanitizer bottles were unlabeled. , , Please ensure all chemical bottles are labeled in a manner that allows for identification of the contents and safe use.
The staff washrooms were not equipped with paper towel. , , Please ensure all hand sinks and washrooms sinks are stocked with liquid hand soap, paper towel, and running hot/cold water to allow for proper hand washing by food handlers.
No violations
1 violation
August 1st, 2023: work in progress. , , July 18th, 2023: A durable plastic sheeting has been installed in place of the missing tiles. , Other work still outstanding. , , July 5th, 2023: progress has been made. Drywall and mudding is complete. Sanding and painting to be finished as well as tile work. , , June 13th, 2023: The below items are still outstanding. Operator said they are scheduled to be repaired the July long weekend (July 1st). A re-inspection will be conducted after this date and if the repairs have not been completed further enforcement action will be taken. , , January 20, 2023: Operator will be given a one month deadline until February 20, 2023., , Items listed under July 9, 2021 below are still outstanding and requires immediate attention., Additional items noted includes:, - Wall tiles behind mechanical dishwasher are missing and need to be replaced. Ensure all surfaces are smooth, non-absorbent, and easily cleanable., - Light switch cover missing on the wall that connects the back kitchen and sushi bar. Install new light switch cover., , July 9, 2021: , , -The area of wall located in the back prep area, just outside the sushi bar was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -The small area of wall located to the right of the deep fryers was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -Wall tiles were missing from the wall located above the walk-in cooler/ walk-in freezer area., - Baseboards were missing in the front bar area., - The wall located just above the baseboard area in the server's station was damaged. , - A light located on a shelf to the left of the hand wash sink in the main kitchen was held in place with duct tape., Make a plan to have the damaged surfaces repaired or replaced. A deadline of October 11, 2021 is being given for these items., , March 13, 2019:, , The facility is missing wall tiles, has holes in the wall, and missing baseboards in various areas of the facility including in the dish washing area, above the walk-in cooler, and in the sushi prep area.
1 violation
August 1st, 2023: work in progress. , , July 18th, 2023: A durable plastic sheeting has been installed in place of the missing tiles. , Other work still outstanding. , , July 5th, 2023: progress has been made. Drywall and mudding is complete. Sanding and painting to be finished as well as tile work. , , June 13th, 2023: The below items are still outstanding. Operator said they are scheduled to be repaired the July long weekend (July 1st). A re-inspection will be conducted after this date and if the repairs have not been completed further enforcement action will be taken. , , January 20, 2023: Operator will be given a one month deadline until February 20, 2023., , Items listed under July 9, 2021 below are still outstanding and requires immediate attention., Additional items noted includes:, - Wall tiles behind mechanical dishwasher are missing and need to be replaced. Ensure all surfaces are smooth, non-absorbent, and easily cleanable., - Light switch cover missing on the wall that connects the back kitchen and sushi bar. Install new light switch cover., , July 9, 2021: , , -The area of wall located in the back prep area, just outside the sushi bar was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -The small area of wall located to the right of the deep fryers was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -Wall tiles were missing from the wall located above the walk-in cooler/ walk-in freezer area., - Baseboards were missing in the front bar area., - The wall located just above the baseboard area in the server's station was damaged. , - A light located on a shelf to the left of the hand wash sink in the main kitchen was held in place with duct tape., Make a plan to have the damaged surfaces repaired or replaced. A deadline of October 11, 2021 is being given for these items., , March 13, 2019:, , The facility is missing wall tiles, has holes in the wall, and missing baseboards in various areas of the facility including in the dish washing area, above the walk-in cooler, and in the sushi prep area.
2 violations
The facilities expired food handling permit was posted. , , Please print and post a copy of the facilities valid 2023 food handling permit in a location visible to the public.
July 18th, 2023: A durable plastic sheeting has been installed in place of the missing tiles. , Other work still outstanding. , , July 5th, 2023: progress has been made. Drywall and mudding is complete. Sanding and painting to be finished as well as tile work. , , June 13th, 2023: The below items are still outstanding. Operator said they are scheduled to be repaired the July long weekend (July 1st). A re-inspection will be conducted after this date and if the repairs have not been completed further enforcement action will be taken. , , January 20, 2023: Operator will be given a one month deadline until February 20, 2023., , Items listed under July 9, 2021 below are still outstanding and requires immediate attention., Additional items noted includes:, - Wall tiles behind mechanical dishwasher are missing and need to be replaced. Ensure all surfaces are smooth, non-absorbent, and easily cleanable., - Light switch cover missing on the wall that connects the back kitchen and sushi bar. Install new light switch cover., , July 9, 2021: , , -The area of wall located in the back prep area, just outside the sushi bar was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -The small area of wall located to the right of the deep fryers was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -Wall tiles were missing from the wall located above the walk-in cooler/ walk-in freezer area., - Baseboards were missing in the front bar area., - The wall located just above the baseboard area in the server's station was damaged. , - A light located on a shelf to the left of the hand wash sink in the main kitchen was held in place with duct tape., Make a plan to have the damaged surfaces repaired or replaced. A deadline of October 11, 2021 is being given for these items., , March 13, 2019:, , The facility is missing wall tiles, has holes in the wall, and missing baseboards in various areas of the facility including in the dish washing area, above the walk-in cooler, and in the sushi prep area.
2 violations
The facilities expired food handling permit was posted. , , Please print and post a copy of the facilities valid 2023 food handling permit in a location visible to the public.
July 5th, 2023: progress has been made. Drywall and mudding is complete. Sanding and painting to be finished as well as tile work. , , June 13th, 2023: The below items are still outstanding. Operator said they are scheduled to be repaired the July long weekend (July 1st). A re-inspection will be conducted after this date and if the repairs have not been completed further enforcement action will be taken. , , January 20, 2023: Operator will be given a one month deadline until February 20, 2023., , Items listed under July 9, 2021 below are still outstanding and requires immediate attention., Additional items noted includes:, - Wall tiles behind mechanical dishwasher are missing and need to be replaced. Ensure all surfaces are smooth, non-absorbent, and easily cleanable., - Light switch cover missing on the wall that connects the back kitchen and sushi bar. Install new light switch cover., , July 9, 2021: , , -The area of wall located in the back prep area, just outside the sushi bar was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -The small area of wall located to the right of the deep fryers was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -Wall tiles were missing from the wall located above the walk-in cooler/ walk-in freezer area., - Baseboards were missing in the front bar area., - The wall located just above the baseboard area in the server's station was damaged. , - A light located on a shelf to the left of the hand wash sink in the main kitchen was held in place with duct tape., Make a plan to have the damaged surfaces repaired or replaced. A deadline of October 11, 2021 is being given for these items., , March 13, 2019:, , The facility is missing wall tiles, has holes in the wall, and missing baseboards in various areas of the facility including in the dish washing area, above the walk-in cooler, and in the sushi prep area., , PLEASE SCHEDULE REPAIRS FOR THESE AREAS, NOTICE TIME IS GIVEN TILL END OF MAY FOR THESE REPAIRS
2 violations
The facilities expired food handling permit was posted. , , Please print and post a copy of the facilities valid 2023 food handling permit in a location visible to the public.
June 13th, 2023: The below items are still outstanding. Operator said they are scheduled to be repaired the July long weekend (July 1st). A re-inspection will be conducted after this date and if the repairs have not been completed further enforcement action will be taken. , , January 20, 2023: Operator will be given a one month deadline until February 20, 2023., , Items listed under July 9, 2021 below are still outstanding and requires immediate attention., Additional items noted includes:, - Wall tiles behind mechanical dishwasher are missing and need to be replaced. Ensure all surfaces are smooth, non-absorbent, and easily cleanable., - Light switch cover missing on the wall that connects the back kitchen and sushi bar. Install new light switch cover., , July 9, 2021: , , -The area of wall located in the back prep area, just outside the sushi bar was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -The small area of wall located to the right of the deep fryers was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -Wall tiles were missing from the wall located above the walk-in cooler/ walk-in freezer area., - Baseboards were missing in the front bar area., - The wall located just above the baseboard area in the server's station was damaged. , - A light located on a shelf to the left of the hand wash sink in the main kitchen was held in place with duct tape., Make a plan to have the damaged surfaces repaired or replaced. A deadline of October 11, 2021 is being given for these items., , March 13, 2019:, , The facility is missing wall tiles, has holes in the wall, and missing baseboards in various areas of the facility including in the dish washing area, above the walk-in cooler, and in the sushi prep area., , PLEASE SCHEDULE REPAIRS FOR THESE AREAS, NOTICE TIME IS GIVEN TILL END OF MAY FOR THESE REPAIRS.
7 violations
A food surface sanitizer was not available at the time of the inspection in the bar. , , A 100ppm bleach solution was prepared by staff at the time of the inspection. , , Please ensure a surface sanitizer is prepared and ready for use in all areas where food preparation is occurring. ,
Facility is not currently keeping the oyster tags for 3 months (90 days). , , All oyster/shellfish tags must be kept for at a minimum of 3 months or 90 days. , , Please start retaining the oyster tags and all records of the shellfish deliveries.
A container of battered and fried shrimp tempura was sitting on the counter with no temperature control and had a temperature of 10C. , , Staff said the tempura came from the cooler and needed to be fried a second time. Please leave food in the cooler until they are ready to be used.
There is food debris accumulating in the following areas: , - Underneath and behind the grill , - Near the chest freezer, - Along the baseboards and corners, - Underneath the counter where sushi is prepared, , The facility must be maintained in a clean and sanitary manner to prevent the attraction of pests. , , Please clean.
The mechanical dishwasher was not dispensing sodium hypochlorite (chlorine) to sanitize food , equipment and utensils. , , The mechanical dishwasher must be maintained in good working condition to effectively clean and sanitize food equipment and utensils., , Please repair the mechanical dishwasher. Until it has been repaired, use the two-compartment sink to sanitize the food equipment and utensils and ensure it is submerged for at least two minutes.
The hand sink by the grill line was blocked by a metal insert and was not supplied with hand soap. , , All hand sinks must be supplied with hand soap and be easily accessible to perform hand hygiene. Refrain from placing any articles in the hand sink and ensure hand soap is always supplied. , , The operator placed hand soap at hand sink and removed the metal insert at the time of the inspection.
Inserts and small bowls used as a scoop and stored inside the rice bulk supply., , Replace the insert and the small bowl with a scoop that has a handle and store scoops in a separate area or with the handle upright to avoid contamination of the food., , The operator removed the insert and the small bowl from the bulk supply at the time of the inspection.
The light covers in the grill line and the dishwashing area are cracked. , , Lights covers must be maintained in good repair to prevent physical contamination of food. , , Replace the light covers.
Rice paddle stored in water at room temperature (20.6C). , , Store utensils in the following manner to prevent the growth of bacteria. , a) iced water , b) bleach solution of 100ppm , c) quat solution of 200ppm , , The operator filled the bucket with iced water at the time of the inspection.
There is mold growing in the ice machine., , The ice machine must be maintained in a clean and sanitary manner to prevent contamination of ice. , Discontinue the use of the ice machine, discard the ice, then clean and sanitize. , , Refrain from using the ice machine until it has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.
The outside of the rice cooker is visibly soiled. , , Food equipment must be maintained in a clean and sanitary manner to prevent cross contamination. , , Please clean.
***Outstanding violation - noted April 1, 2025***, , January 18, 2024 - , The back storage rooms are cluttered and disorganized rendering it hard to access the rooms for cleaning and pest control. , , Please clean and organize these rooms to allow for proper access to the space to easily clean and proper pest control monitoring.
There is food debris accumulating in the following areas: , - Underneath and behind the grill , - Near the chest freezer, - Along the baseboards and corners, - Underneath the counter where sushi is prepared, , The facility must be maintained in a clean and sanitary manner to prevent the attraction of pests. , , Please clean.
The wall next to the cook line is pitted and in disrepair. , , Please repair and re-finish the wall to allow for proper cleaning.
Duct tape is being used to hold a light on the cook/prep line. , , Please remove the duct tape and secure the light properly. Duct tape is not a cleanable surface and can harbor moisture and pathogens.
The back storage rooms are cluttered and disorganized rendering it hard to access the rooms for cleaning and pest control. , , Please clean and organize these rooms to allow for proper access to the space to easily clean and proper pest control monitoring.
The facilities expired food handling permit was posted. , , Please print and post a copy of your valid 2024 food handling permit in a location that is visible to the public.
The wall next to the cook line is pitted and in disrepair. , , Please repair and re-finish the wall to allow for proper cleaning.
Duct tape is being used to hold a light on the cook/prep line. , , Please remove the duct tape and secure the light properly. Duct tape is not a cleanable surface and can harbor moisture and pathogens.
The back storage rooms are cluttered and disorganized rendering it hard to access the rooms for cleaning and pest control. , , Please clean and organize these rooms to allow for proper access to the space to easily clean and proper pest control monitoring.
1) The facility is using a chlorine-based surface sanitizer and has a chlorine-based sanitizing mechanical dishwasher but was unable to locate chlorine test strips. , , Please obtain chlorine test strips to be able to test and verify the concentration of both the surface sanitizer and mechanical dishwasher. , , 2) The facility is preparing and serving sushi rice but does not have pH papers or a pH meter to test and verify the pH of the rice. , , Sushi rice must be mixed to a pH of 4.6 or lower (more acidic) to ensure it is shelf stable. The rice was tested with the PHI's test strips on-site and had a pH of 4.0 (Satisfactory). , , Please obtain pH test strips or a pH meter to be able to test and verify the pH of the sushi rice.
The facilities expired food handling permit was posted. , , Please print and post a copy of your valid 2024 food handling permit in a location that is visible to the public.
The wall next to the cook line is pitted and in disrepair. , , Please repair and re-finish the wall to allow for proper cleaning.
Duct tape is being used to hold a light on the cook/prep line. , , Please remove the duct tape and secure the light properly. Duct tape is not a cleanable surface and can harbor moisture and pathogens.
The back storage rooms are cluttered and disorganized rendering it hard to access the rooms for cleaning and pest control. , , Please clean and organize these rooms to allow for proper access to the space to easily clean and proper pest control monitoring.
The iodine-based sanitizing glass dishwasher at the bar was run and 0ppm was detected at the time of the inspection. , , It was observed the iodine concentrate was empty and the facility did not have a new bottle to replace it with. , , All glasses must be run through the kitchen dishwasher until the bar dishwasher can be sanitizing properly. , , Please have extra sanitizing concentrated on-site to be able to replace the sanitizers when they run out.
pH test strips/ meter could not be located at the time of the inspection. , , Please obtain pH test strips/meter to be able to test and verify the pH of the sushi rice. The rice was tested with the PHI's test strips and was observed to have a pH of 3.5 (satisfactory).
The facilities expired food handling permit was posted. , , Please print and post a copy of the facilities valid 2023 food handling permit in a location visible to the public.
June 13th, 2023: The below items are still outstanding. Operator said they are scheduled to be repaired the July long weekend (July 1st). A re-inspection will be conducted after this date and if the repairs have not been completed further enforcement action will be taken. , , January 20, 2023: Operator will be given a one month deadline until February 20, 2023., , Items listed under July 9, 2021 below are still outstanding and requires immediate attention., Additional items noted includes:, - Wall tiles behind mechanical dishwasher are missing and need to be replaced. Ensure all surfaces are smooth, non-absorbent, and easily cleanable., - Light switch cover missing on the wall that connects the back kitchen and sushi bar. Install new light switch cover., , July 9, 2021: , , -The area of wall located in the back prep area, just outside the sushi bar was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -The small area of wall located to the right of the deep fryers was damaged. Drywall was missing in areas., -Wall tiles were missing from the wall located above the walk-in cooler/ walk-in freezer area., - Baseboards were missing in the front bar area., - The wall located just above the baseboard area in the server's station was damaged. , - A light located on a shelf to the left of the hand wash sink in the main kitchen was held in place with duct tape., Make a plan to have the damaged surfaces repaired or replaced. A deadline of October 11, 2021 is being given for these items., , March 13, 2019:, , The facility is missing wall tiles, has holes in the wall, and missing baseboards in various areas of the facility including in the dish washing area, above the walk-in cooler, and in the sushi prep area., , PLEASE SCHEDULE REPAIRS FOR THESE AREAS, NOTICE TIME IS GIVEN TILL END OF MAY FOR THESE REPAIRS.