MIAMI, FL. A Miami restaurant serving raw and undercooked fish had no documented procedures for parasite destruction, according to state inspection records from July 28, meaning customers had no assurance that the fish on their plates had been treated to kill Anisakis, tapeworms, or other parasites that survive light cooking.
The restaurant, Chef Kabana at 7500 NW 25th Street, accumulated six high-severity violations and three intermediate violations during that single inspection. State records show it was not emergency-closed.
What Inspectors Found
The parasite destruction failure was not the only raw-seafood concern. Inspectors also cited inadequate shell stock identification records, meaning the oysters, clams, or mussels on the menu could not be traced back to a certified harvesting source. And the restaurant had posted no consumer advisory warning customers that raw or undercooked items carry elevated risk.
Three separate violations, in other words, compounded the danger for anyone ordering seafood that day.
Food contact surfaces were not properly cleaned or sanitized, a violation that creates a direct transfer route for bacteria between raw proteins and ready-to-eat food. Multi-use utensils had also not been properly cleaned, and inspectors documented equipment in poor repair, meaning cracked or corroded surfaces where bacteria accumulate beyond the reach of routine cleaning.
The intermediate violations added two more layers of concern. Improper sewage or wastewater disposal was cited, a violation that introduces fecal contamination risk throughout a kitchen. No person in charge was present or performing supervisory duties, and the facility had no written employee health policy, leaving no mechanism to identify or exclude a worker who was ill.
What These Violations Mean
The parasite destruction citation is among the most direct physical risks documented during this inspection. When fish is served raw or lightly cooked, parasites including Anisakis roundworms and various tapeworm species can survive if the fish was never properly frozen or cooked to required temperatures. Proper freezing protocols, typically minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit for seven days or minus 31 degrees for 15 hours, are the standard intervention. Without documented procedures, there is no way to confirm those steps occurred at Chef Kabana.
The shellfish traceability failure compounds that risk in a different direction. Shellfish are filter feeders that concentrate whatever pathogens are present in their growing waters, including Vibrio bacteria and hepatitis A. The tag records that accompany certified shellfish are the only way to trace an illness outbreak back to a specific harvest location and pull contaminated product from other restaurants. Without those records at Chef Kabana, that chain breaks entirely.
The absence of a consumer advisory may seem like a paperwork issue, but it is the last line of defense for the customers most at risk. Elderly diners, pregnant women, people undergoing chemotherapy, and anyone with a compromised immune system face life-threatening complications from the same raw-seafood pathogens that a healthy adult might survive with a few days of illness. Without the advisory, those customers have no basis to make an informed choice.
The sewage disposal violation stands apart from the seafood violations in character but not in severity. Raw sewage carries E. coli, Salmonella, and a range of other pathogens. An improper disposal situation means those organisms had a potential pathway into the facility's food preparation environment.
The Longer Record
The July 28 inspection was not an anomaly. State records show Chef Kabana has been inspected 27 times and has accumulated 183 total violations, with zero emergency closures across that entire history.
The pattern in the most recent inspections is consistent and steep. On July 7, 2025, inspectors found 13 high-severity violations and 3 intermediate violations in a single visit. One week later, on July 8, there were 8 high-severity and 2 intermediate. On July 16, seven more high-severity violations. By December 2025, six high-severity and two intermediate violations were again on record.
The July 28, 2026 inspection, with its six high-severity citations, fits squarely inside that pattern rather than breaking from it.
The facility has never been emergency-closed, despite repeated high-severity violation counts across five consecutive inspection cycles. The prior inspections show no sustained improvement in the categories that matter most: food sourcing controls, parasite procedures, and management oversight have all appeared in multiple inspection cycles without apparent resolution.
Still Open
State records do not indicate that Chef Kabana was ordered to close following the July 28 inspection.
Six high-severity violations, including failures in parasite destruction, shellfish traceability, and consumer disclosure, were documented at an active food service operation. The facility was allowed to continue serving customers.
That is where the record stands.
