TAMPA, FL. A state inspector walked into KLAS LA on North 30th Street on August 11 and found food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, toxic chemicals improperly stored near food, and food described as being in poor condition or adulterated — eight high-severity violations in a single visit, with four more intermediate citations on top of that. The restaurant was not closed.
The facility at 10910 N 30th Street, Suite 105 in Tampa remained open to customers after the inspection concluded.
What Inspectors Found
The undercooking citation is the sharpest hazard on the list. Salmonella in poultry survives below 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and the state considers undercooking a leading direct cause of foodborne illness outbreaks.
Toxic chemicals stored improperly near food is a separate and acute danger. Mislabeled or misplaced cleaning agents near food preparation areas can cause acute poisoning without any visible sign of contamination.
The food in poor condition citation compounds both of those risks. Food that is spoiled, adulterated, or mislabeled can trigger illness before it is ever cooked, regardless of how carefully it is handled afterward.
Inspectors also cited the facility for food contact surfaces that were not properly cleaned or sanitized. Cutting boards, prep surfaces, and equipment that carry residual bacteria from one food item to the next are among the most common vehicles for cross-contamination in commercial kitchens.
The intermediate violations added further layers. Sewage or wastewater was not being disposed of properly, a condition inspectors link to fecal contamination risks throughout a facility. Multi-use utensils were found improperly cleaned, and single-use items were being reused, a practice that creates contamination risk from items designed to be discarded after one contact. Equipment was documented in poor repair, with cracks and corroded areas that cannot be effectively sanitized.
What These Violations Mean
The absence of an active person in charge is not a paperwork problem. CDC data shows establishments without active managerial control accumulate critical violations at three times the rate of those with engaged supervision. Every other violation on this list becomes more likely when no one in the building is accountable for catching it.
The missing employee health policy is a direct transmission risk. Without a written policy that requires sick workers to stay home, a single employee with Norovirus can expose every customer served during that shift. Norovirus accounts for roughly 20 million cases of foodborne illness in the United States annually.
Improper handwashing technique means pathogens remain on hands even when a worker believes they have washed. Studies show improper technique removes as little as a fraction of the bacteria that proper technique eliminates. Combined with improperly sanitized food contact surfaces and reused single-use items, the failure creates multiple overlapping transfer routes for the same pathogens.
The lack of a consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods is a specific hazard for elderly customers, pregnant women, young children, and anyone with a compromised immune system. Without that disclosure on the menu, those customers have no way to make an informed choice about what they order.
The Longer Record
The August inspection is not an anomaly. State records show KLAS LA has been inspected 21 times, accumulating 139 total violations across that history. The facility has been emergency-closed once before, in August 2020, when inspectors found no handwashing available. It was allowed to reopen the following day.
The pattern of high-severity violations runs through recent years. In November 2024, inspectors documented eight high-severity violations and three intermediate citations in a single visit, a nearly identical tally to the August 2026 inspection. A follow-up the next day found one high-severity violation still unresolved.
In March 2026, inspectors returned twice in the same day. The first visit produced five high-severity violations and one intermediate. A second visit that same date found one additional high-severity violation.
The September 2025 inspections briefly showed improvement. Two visits on back-to-back days found zero high-severity violations between them. That period of compliance did not hold.
Still Open
Florida's emergency closure authority is triggered when inspectors determine a facility poses an immediate threat to public health. The August 11 inspection at KLAS LA documented eight high-severity violations, including undercooking, chemical storage near food, adulterated food, unsanitized food contact surfaces, and no active manager on the premises.
The state did not close it.
KLAS LA was operating and open to customers after the inspection wrapped up.
