MIAMI, FL. AC Hotel Miami Midtown on Biscayne Boulevard drew 12 high-severity violations in a single inspection during the week of August 16, the most of any facility among 15 Miami restaurants flagged by state inspectors that week, according to records from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
The hotel's restaurant had no person in charge present or performing duties, no employee health policy, inadequate handwashing facilities, and food from unapproved or unknown sources. Inspectors also cited the kitchen for failing to maintain shellfish traceability records and for food contact surfaces that were not properly cleaned or sanitized. Food was not cooked to the required minimum temperature.
The Violations
El Berrinche on SW 42nd Street was cited for 11 high-severity violations, including an employee not reporting symptoms of illness, food from unapproved sources, food in poor condition or adulterated, and a failure to follow parasite destruction procedures for fish or other raw proteins.
The parasite destruction citation is notable. When a restaurant serves raw or lightly cooked fish without first freezing it to the required temperature and duration, parasites including Anisakis and tapeworm can survive and infect customers.
Mochima Bistro on SW 184th Street accumulated 10 high-severity violations. Inspectors found no person in charge, no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing facilities, improper handwashing technique, food from unapproved sources, no shellfish traceability records, and a failure to properly use time as a public health control.
Yume Ramen on SW 107th Avenue drew 9 high-severity violations, including no person in charge, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing facilities, improper handwashing technique, food from unapproved sources, missing shellfish records, improperly sanitized food contact surfaces, and improper use of time as a public health control.
Salty Flame on Brickell Avenue was cited for 9 high-severity violations that included food in poor condition, inadequate shellfish traceability records, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and improper use of time as a public health control.
Coffeezone Bistro on Brickell Avenue, a suite-level cafe in the same financial district corridor, also drew 9 high-severity violations. Inspectors flagged inadequate handwashing, food from unapproved sources, food in poor condition, missing shellfish records, improperly sanitized food contact surfaces, food not cooked to minimum temperature, improper time controls, and toxic chemicals stored or labeled incorrectly.
Pollo Riko on W 60th Street was cited for 9 high-severity violations as well, including no employee health policy, food from unapproved sources, food in poor condition, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, improper time controls, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and two separate toxic substance citations, one for improper storage or labeling and one for improper identification or use.
Black Market Miami on Biscayne Boulevard drew 8 high-severity violations. Among them: no person in charge, no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, improper handwashing technique, food from unapproved sources, missing shellfish traceability records, improperly sanitized food contact surfaces, and food not cooked to the required minimum temperature.
Real Food Academy on NE 81st Street was cited for 8 high-severity violations, including no employee health policy, improper handwashing technique, missing shellfish records, failure to follow parasite destruction procedures, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and two toxic substance citations.
Mr Baguette II on N Miami Avenue also drew 8 high-severity violations. Inspectors documented no person in charge, no employee health policy, inadequate handwashing, improper handwashing technique, failure to follow parasite destruction procedures, improperly sanitized food contact surfaces, no consumer advisory, and improperly identified or stored toxic substances.
Michael's Genuine Food and Drink on NE 40th Street was cited for 4 high-severity violations: no person in charge, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, and no allergen awareness demonstrated by staff.
Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar on NW 53rd Street drew 5 high-severity violations, including missing shellfish records, improperly sanitized food contact surfaces, food not cooked to minimum temperature, improper time controls, and toxic chemicals stored or labeled incorrectly.
Fonda Sabaneta on SW 72nd Street was cited for 4 high-severity violations alongside 3 intermediate ones, including food from unapproved sources, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, toxic chemicals improperly stored, and improper sewage or wastewater disposal.
China Steak House Restaurant 3 on SW 24th Street drew 1 high-severity violation for improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, plus 3 intermediate violations including improper sewage or wastewater disposal and inadequate ventilation.
Gramps Getaway on Rickenbacker Causeway received the fewest citations of the group, 2 high-severity violations: improperly sanitized food contact surfaces and food not cooked to the required minimum temperature.
What These Violations Mean
The employee illness violations at El Berrinche, Mochima Bistro, Yume Ramen, and Black Market Miami are among the most acutely dangerous findings in this week's data. When a food worker continues preparing meals while experiencing symptoms of illness, Norovirus, which causes 20 million infections in the United States each year, can transfer directly to food. A single sick employee working a full shift can expose dozens or hundreds of customers.
The food-from-unapproved-sources citations, documented at AC Hotel Miami Midtown, El Berrinche, Mochima Bistro, Yume Ramen, Salty Flame, Coffeezone Bistro, Pollo Riko, Black Market Miami, and Fonda Sabaneta, carry a specific traceability risk. Food that bypasses USDA or FDA inspection has no verifiable supply chain. If a customer becomes ill, investigators cannot trace the product back to its origin or identify other affected consumers.
The shellfish traceability failures at AC Hotel Miami Midtown, El Berrinche, Mochima Bistro, Yume Ramen, Salty Flame, Coffeezone Bistro, Black Market Miami, and Real Food Academy compound that problem. Oysters, clams, and mussels are typically consumed raw or lightly cooked, which means any contamination in the harvest bed reaches the customer without a heat kill step. Without shellfish tags on file, there is no way to link a sick diner to a specific harvest lot or recall contaminated product.
The toxic chemical and substance citations at Michael's Genuine, Salty Flame, Coffeezone Bistro, Pollo Riko, Real Food Academy, Mr Baguette II, Pisco y Nazca, and Fonda Sabaneta represent a different category of risk. Cleaning chemicals stored near or above food preparation surfaces can contaminate food through spills or mislabeling. Inspectors documented this pattern across eight facilities in a single week.
The Longer Record
China Steak House Restaurant 3 has 29 prior inspections on record, the longest history of any facility in this week's data, and it continues to draw citations for improperly cleaned food contact surfaces and sewage disposal failures. El Berrinche and Michael's Genuine Food and Drink each have 27 prior inspections on record. El Berrinche's 11 high-severity violations this week, including parasite destruction failures and food from unapproved sources, come against a backdrop of more than two dozen previous visits by state inspectors.
Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar has 25 prior inspections on record and drew 5 high-severity violations this week, including food not cooked to minimum temperature. Fonda Sabaneta has 23 prior inspections and still drew a sewage disposal citation alongside food sourcing and chemical storage violations.
Mochima Bistro has 24 prior inspections and accumulated 10 high-severity violations this week, including no person in charge and no employee health policy. Yume Ramen and Black Market Miami each have 22 prior inspections on record and each drew 9 and 8 high-severity violations respectively, with overlapping failures in handwashing, food sourcing, and illness reporting.
Coffeezone Bistro, with only 11 prior inspections, is among the newer facilities in this group and already carries 9 high-severity violations this week, including food from unapproved sources, food not cooked to minimum temperature, and improperly stored toxic chemicals. AC Hotel Miami Midtown and Real Food Academy each have 14 prior inspections on record. The hotel's 12 high-severity violations in a single visit this week, with no person in charge and no approved food source documented, is the highest single-facility count in this week's data.
