JACKSONVILLE, FL. State inspectors cited Hong Kong Station on Beach Boulevard for 12 high-severity violations during the week of September 22, more than any other facility in Duval County that week, including citations for food sourced from unapproved or unknown suppliers and a failure to follow parasite destruction procedures for fish and other high-risk proteins.
The violations at Hong Kong Station span nearly every layer of food safety. Inspectors documented no written employee health policy, an employee who had not reported symptoms of illness, inadequate handwashing facilities, and improper handwashing technique, all in the same visit. They also cited inadequate shell stock identification records, meaning shellfish on the menu could not be traced to a certified harvester if someone got sick.
The Violations
Salsas Mexican Restaurant on City Center Boulevard drew 10 high-severity violations, including no person in charge present or performing duties, food from unapproved sources, and food not cooked to the required minimum temperature. Inspectors also cited inadequate shell stock records and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces.
Ruby Tuesday on Windsor Commons Court accumulated 9 high-severity violations and 6 intermediate ones, the largest intermediate count of any facility this week. Among the citations: parasite destruction procedures not followed, time as a public health control not properly used, and no consumer advisory posted for raw or undercooked foods.
Blu Diner of Jax on Norwood Avenue also reached 9 high-severity violations. Two of them involved toxic chemicals, with inspectors citing both improper storage or labeling of toxic chemicals and improper identification, storage, or use of toxic substances, meaning cleaning agents or other hazardous materials were found in proximity to food or without adequate labeling.
On the morning of September 23, state inspectors ordered St. James Cafe at 117 W. Duval Street closed after finding roach activity on the premises. The emergency closure was the only one recorded in Jacksonville during the inspection week.
Super Tienda Latina y Restaurante on Toledo Road was cited for 8 high-severity violations, including no person in charge, no employee health policy, inadequate handwashing facilities, and food not cooked to required minimum temperatures. The facility also lacked shell stock identification records.
Zen Dumpling on Baymeadows Road drew 8 high-severity violations, including food from an unapproved source, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, and no allergen awareness demonstrated by staff. Inspectors also cited improper use of time as a public health control.
JJ Wing and Burger on Duval Station Road collected 8 high-severity violations, including food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, food from unapproved sources, and both chemical storage citations that appeared at Blu Diner, improperly labeled chemicals and improperly identified or stored toxic substances.
Delicias Colombianas on Blanding Boulevard was cited for 7 high-severity violations and an intermediate violation for improper sewage or wastewater disposal. Inspectors also documented food from unapproved sources, food not cooked to required temperatures, no allergen awareness, and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces.
Secret Garden Cafe on Beach Boulevard drew the same intermediate sewage citation alongside 7 high-severity violations, including no employee health policy, toxic chemicals improperly stored, and no allergen awareness demonstrated. No person in charge was present during the inspection.
Flame Sushi Japanese Grill and Ramen on Beach Boulevard was cited for food from an unapproved source, food in poor condition or adulterated, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, 7 high-severity violations in total.
Twin Peaks Restaurant on Atlantic Boulevard drew 7 high-severity violations including food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards, inadequate shell stock records, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and food not cooked to required temperatures.
J Lemon and Pepper on North Main Street was cited for food from unapproved sources, both toxic chemical citations, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and no allergen awareness. Elevation Lounge on Norwood Avenue drew the same total of 7 high-severity violations, with inspectors noting food not cooked to required temperatures, time as a public health control not properly used, and toxic substances improperly stored or used.
Joseph's Pizza on Main Street was cited for 7 high-severity violations, including inadequate shell stock records, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, no allergen awareness, and toxic substances improperly identified, stored, or used.
McDonald's on North Main Street drew 7 high-severity violations, including parasite destruction procedures not followed, shell stock identification records inadequate, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, toxic chemicals improperly stored, toxic substances improperly identified or stored, and no allergen awareness demonstrated.
What These Violations Mean
The most common high-severity citation this week, appearing at 13 of the 15 facilities, was an employee not reporting symptoms of illness. This is not a paperwork problem. Norovirus, the most frequent cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States, spreads directly from an infected food worker to every plate that worker touches. A single symptomatic employee who continues preparing food can expose dozens of customers in a single shift.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources, cited at Hong Kong Station, Salsas, Zen Dumpling, JJ Wing and Burger, Delicias Colombianas, Flame Sushi, and J Lemon and Pepper, removes the traceability chain that makes recalls possible. When the source of an ingredient is unknown or unverified, there is no way to pull that product from the supply chain if a contamination event is identified upstream.
The parasite destruction citations at Hong Kong Station, Ruby Tuesday, and McDonald's carry a specific risk that is easy to underestimate. Fish served raw or undercooked, including sushi and tartare preparations, must be frozen to specific temperatures for specific time periods to kill parasites like Anisakis. When that step is skipped, the parasite survives into the finished dish.
The dual toxic chemical citations at Blu Diner of Jax, JJ Wing and Burger, J Lemon and Pepper, and Elevation Lounge reflect a category of violation that can cause immediate harm rather than illness that develops over hours or days. Cleaning agents stored near food, or without proper labels, can contaminate a dish directly. The risk is acute poisoning, not bacterial infection.
The Longer Record
The inspection history behind this week's findings separates facilities that are struggling for the first time from those with years of accumulated citations. Blu Diner of Jax on Norwood Avenue carries 54 prior inspections on record, the longest history of any facility flagged this week, and this inspection added 9 high-severity violations including two toxic chemical citations.
Ruby Tuesday on Windsor Commons Court has 41 prior inspections on record and drew 9 high-severity violations this week. Twin Peaks on Atlantic Boulevard has 40 prior inspections on record and was cited for 7 high-severity violations including food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards.
J Lemon and Pepper on North Main Street has 36 prior inspections on record, and Salsas Mexican Restaurant has 15, yet both were cited this week for food from unapproved sources, a violation that reflects a sourcing decision rather than a momentary lapse in kitchen practice.
At the other end of the history spectrum, JJ Wing and Burger on Duval Station Road has only 4 prior inspections on record, making it one of the newest facilities in this week's data. It still accumulated 8 high-severity violations, including both toxic chemical citations and food not cooked to required temperatures. Hong Kong Station, the week's top violator with 12 high-severity citations, has only 6 prior inspections on record.
St. James Cafe, the only facility emergency-closed this week, had its closure ordered on September 23 for roach activity. Whether prior inspections documented similar pest conditions at that address is not reflected in the data provided for this reporting period.
