JACKSONVILLE, FL. Chow's Country Buffet on Southside Boulevard drew 10 high-severity violations during the week of September 28, including citations for food from unapproved sources, inadequate shellfish traceability records, no employee health policy, and food contact surfaces that inspectors found improperly cleaned and sanitized.
That tied for the week's highest violation count, matched only by Salsas Mexican Restaurant on City Center Boulevard, where inspectors also logged 10 high-severity findings. Salsas was cited for having no person in charge present or performing duties, employees failing to report illness symptoms, food from unapproved sources, inadequate handwashing facilities, improper handwashing technique, and food not cooked to the required minimum temperature.
Fifteen Jacksonville restaurants drew high-severity violations during the seven-day stretch. The violations ranged from chemical storage failures to undercooking to missing shellfish traceability records at facilities that serve raw or lightly cooked seafood.
The Violations
Saigon Coffee and Sandwiches on Beach Boulevard also reached 10 high-severity violations. Inspectors cited the operation for having no person in charge, no employee health policy, employees not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing facilities, improper handwashing technique, food from unapproved sources, failure to follow parasite destruction procedures, and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces.
Ya Habibi Slice and Spice on St. Augustine Road drew nine high-severity violations, including citations for toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, toxic substances improperly identified or used, time as a public health control not properly followed, and no consumer advisory posted for raw or undercooked foods.
Senor Loco Tacos and Tequila on Southside Boulevard also logged nine high-severity violations. Inspectors found food in poor condition, food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, parasite destruction procedures not followed, toxic chemicals improperly stored, and no consumer advisory for undercooked items.
Tunis Seafood Wings and Subs on Normandy Boulevard was cited for eight high-severity violations, including food from unapproved sources, inadequate shellfish traceability records, no consumer advisory for raw seafood, and no allergen awareness demonstrated by staff.
Purple Roots on Southside Boulevard drew eight high-severity violations, including no person in charge, parasite destruction procedures not followed, food not cooked to minimum temperature, food in poor condition, and toxic chemicals improperly stored.
Max's Restaurant Jacksonville on University Boulevard North was cited for eight high-severity violations, among them toxic substances improperly identified or used, time as a public health control not properly followed, inadequate shellfish records, and food not cooked to minimum temperature.
Delicias Colombianas on Blanding Boulevard drew seven high-severity violations, including food from unapproved sources, no allergen awareness demonstrated, food not cooked to minimum temperature, and an intermediate citation for improper sewage or wastewater disposal.
Cucinellas Brick Oven Pizza on Old Kings Road South also logged seven high-severity violations, including inadequate shellfish traceability records, food not cooked to minimum temperature, no allergen awareness, and an intermediate citation for improper sewage disposal.
Baran Cafe on St. Johns Bluff Road South was cited for seven high-severity violations, including food in poor condition, parasite destruction procedures not followed, toxic chemicals improperly stored, and an intermediate finding for multi-use utensils not properly cleaned.
Sake House on Riverplace Boulevard drew seven high-severity violations, including food from unapproved sources, inadequate handwashing facilities, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, toxic chemicals improperly stored, and no consumer advisory for raw items. Inspectors also cited the restaurant for multi-use utensils not properly cleaned.
Cross Creek on Lane Avenue South received two high-severity citations, for employees not reporting illness symptoms and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Super Tienda Latina y Restaurante on Toledo Road drew a single high-severity violation for employees not reporting illness symptoms.
Hong Kong Station on Beach Boulevard received one intermediate violation for single-use items improperly reused.
What These Violations Mean
The most widespread violation this week was employees not reporting illness symptoms, cited at eleven of the fifteen facilities. Food workers who come in sick and don't disclose symptoms are the primary driver of multi-victim outbreaks. Norovirus alone accounts for 20 million illnesses a year in the United States, and a single infected worker handling food without reporting can expose every customer served that shift. That citation appeared at Chow's Country Buffet, Salsas Mexican Restaurant, Saigon Coffee and Sandwiches, Tunis Seafood Wings and Subs, Max's Restaurant Jacksonville, Delicias Colombianas, Cucinellas Brick Oven Pizza, Baran Cafe, Sake House, Cross Creek, and Super Tienda Latina y Restaurante.
Closely tied to that finding is the absence of a written employee health policy, documented at eight facilities this week. Without a formal policy, there is no mechanism requiring workers to disclose symptoms before they handle food. The citation appeared at Chow's Country Buffet, Saigon Coffee and Sandwiches, Ya Habibi Slice and Spice, Senor Loco Tacos and Tequila, Tunis Seafood Wings and Subs, Purple Roots, Max's Restaurant Jacksonville, and Cucinellas Brick Oven Pizza.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources, found at Chow's Country Buffet, Salsas Mexican Restaurant, Saigon Coffee and Sandwiches, Tunis Seafood Wings and Subs, Delicias Colombianas, and Sake House, carries a specific traceability problem. When food bypasses USDA or FDA inspection channels, there is no paper trail if a customer gets sick. Investigators cannot identify a contaminated lot, cannot issue a recall, and cannot determine how many other facilities received the same product.
Inadequate shellfish traceability records, cited at Chow's Country Buffet, Salsas Mexican Restaurant, Max's Restaurant Jacksonville, Tunis Seafood Wings and Subs, and Cucinellas Brick Oven Pizza, compounds that risk specifically for raw seafood. Oysters, clams, and mussels are often consumed raw or barely cooked, and shellfish harvested from contaminated waters can carry Vibrio bacteria or hepatitis A. Without harvest tags on file, a facility cannot tell regulators where its shellfish came from.
The Longer Record
Chow's Country Buffet has 38 prior inspections on record, the joint-highest total among this week's facilities. That volume of inspections means the state has visited this location dozens of times, and this week's 10 high-severity findings, including food from unapproved sources and no employee health policy, represent a fresh accumulation of serious citations at a facility with a long regulatory history.
Cross Creek also carries 38 prior inspections. Its two high-severity violations this week are a smaller count than several peers, but a facility with that many inspections on record and still drawing citations for employees not reporting illness symptoms and no consumer advisory for raw foods has not resolved foundational issues across a lengthy regulatory timeline.
Baran Cafe has 36 prior inspections, and this week's record includes food in poor condition, parasite destruction failures, improperly stored toxic chemicals, and improperly cleaned multi-use utensils. Cucinellas Brick Oven Pizza follows with 32 prior inspections, and Delicias Colombianas with 30.
At the other end of the history spectrum, Max's Restaurant Jacksonville has only 6 prior inspections on record and already drew eight high-severity violations this week, including toxic substances improperly stored, time as a public health control not properly used, and food not cooked to minimum temperature. Hong Kong Station has 9 prior inspections and received one intermediate citation. Saigon Coffee and Sandwiches has 10 prior inspections and this week drew 10 high-severity violations, including a failure to follow parasite destruction procedures for fish served to customers.
Saigon Coffee and Sandwiches' parasite destruction citation remains unresolved in the public record as of the inspection date.
