ORLANDO, FL. The kitchen at the Hilton Garden Inn Orlando I-4 Millenia Blvd Mall drew 11 high-severity violations during the week of August 20, the most of any facility inspected in Orange County that week, with inspectors citing failures to cook food to required minimum temperatures, parasite destruction procedures not followed, and food found in poor condition or mislabeled.
The Millenia hotel was not alone. Fourteen other Orlando restaurants collected high-severity citations in the same seven-day stretch, and one facility on South Orange Blossom Trail was emergency-closed after inspectors found rodent activity on site.
The Week's Worst Findings
The Hilton Garden Inn's inspection record included a person in charge not present or not performing duties, employees not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing by food employees, inadequate handwashing facilities, and improper hand and arm washing technique. All five of those violations appeared in the same inspection. Parasite destruction procedures not followed and food not cooked to required minimum temperature rounded out the high-severity list.
Mama Lau and OC LLC on West Colonial Drive collected nine high-severity citations, including food from an unapproved or unknown source, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized. Inspectors also cited the restaurant for no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods and no employee health policy.
Las Cazuelas Mexican Restaurant on Lake Underhill Road drew eight high-severity violations, including two separate chemical storage citations: toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, and toxic substances improperly identified, stored, or used. Inspectors also cited the restaurant for no allergen awareness demonstrated, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and no person in charge present or performing duties.
Chens on Curry Ford Road also reached eight high-severity violations. Inspectors flagged food from an unapproved or unknown source, time as a public health control not properly used, and required procedures for specialized processes not followed, in addition to chemical storage and food contact surface violations.
Charleys Philly Steaks on South Kirkman Road drew eight high-severity violations including inadequate shell stock identification and records, food from an unapproved or unknown source, food in poor condition or mislabeled, and food not cooked to required minimum temperature.
Talkin Tacos on Orange Avenue drew eight high-severity violations: no person in charge, employee illness reporting failures, improper handwashing technique, food from an unapproved source, inadequate shell stock records, unclean food contact surfaces, food not cooked to minimum temperature, and time as a public health control not properly used.
El Tenampa Mexican Restaurant on South Orange Blossom Trail matched that total with eight high-severity citations, including inadequate handwashing facilities, food from an unapproved or unknown source, and food not cooked to required minimum temperature, alongside person in charge and employee illness reporting failures.
Outpost Neighborhood Tavern on North Eola Drive also drew eight high-severity violations, including inadequate handwashing facilities, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and toxic chemicals improperly stored.
The Emergency Closure
On August 21, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation ordered Havana Bistro and Cafe at 7975 S Orange Blossom Trail closed after inspectors found rodent activity on the premises. No other details about the scope of the rodent evidence were available in state records reviewed for this report.
Hungry Howie's on East Colonial Drive drew six high-severity violations, including parasite destruction procedures not followed, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, and toxic chemicals improperly stored. Inspectors also noted single-use items being improperly reused.
Denny's #6366, also on East Colonial Drive less than two miles from Hungry Howie's, drew two high-severity violations: food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Le Gout Lakay Restaurant on West Colonial Drive collected seven high-severity violations and eight intermediate citations, the highest intermediate count of any facility this week. Inspectors cited inadequate shell stock identification, toxic chemicals improperly stored, no allergen awareness demonstrated, and improper sewage or wastewater disposal.
Kabsah on South Orange Blossom Trail drew seven high-severity violations, including food in poor condition or mislabeled, inadequate shell stock identification, and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized. Inspectors also flagged improper sanitizing solution or procedures as an intermediate violation.
Fonzie's Pizza Shop on South Orange Avenue drew seven high-severity violations: no employee health policy, food from an unapproved source, parasite destruction procedures not followed, unclean food contact surfaces, time as a public health control not properly used, no consumer advisory, and toxic chemicals improperly stored.
Courtyard Marriott Lake Buena Vista in the Marriott Village on Vineland Avenue drew seven high-severity violations, including inadequate shell stock identification, time as a public health control not properly used, no allergen awareness demonstrated, and improper sewage or wastewater disposal.
June on East Washington Street drew seven high-severity violations: no person in charge, no employee health policy, employee illness reporting failure, inadequate shell stock records, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, time as a public health control not properly used, and toxic chemicals improperly stored.
What These Violations Mean
The most alarming cluster this week involves illness reporting and employee health policies. At least nine of the fifteen facilities drew citations for employees not reporting illness symptoms, no written employee health policy, or both. Norovirus, the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States, spreads directly from infected food workers to customers when there is no system requiring sick employees to stay home. Facilities like El Tenampa, Outpost Neighborhood Tavern, Le Gout Lakay, and June all drew both violations simultaneously, meaning neither the written policy nor the behavioral practice was in place.
Handwashing failures compounded that risk at several locations. The Hilton Garden Inn drew three separate handwashing citations in a single inspection: inadequate handwashing by food employees, inadequate handwashing facilities, and improper hand and arm washing technique. Each violation represents a different breakdown in the same protective chain. Without functional handwashing stations, the technique violation is inevitable. Without proper technique, the act of washing hands does not actually remove pathogens.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources appeared at five facilities this week: Mama Lau, Chens, Charleys Philly Steaks, Talkin Tacos, El Tenampa, and Fonzie's Pizza Shop. When food enters a kitchen from an uninspected or unverifiable source, there is no traceability if a customer gets sick. USDA and FDA inspections exist to catch contamination before food reaches a kitchen. Bypassing that system removes the only upstream check.
Inadequate shell stock identification records, cited at Charleys Philly Steaks, Talkin Tacos, Le Gout Lakay, Kabsah, Courtyard Marriott, and June, carries a specific shellfish risk. Oysters, clams, and mussels are frequently eaten raw or lightly cooked. Without harvest tags and supplier records, a facility cannot trace a shellfish illness back to its source, making outbreak investigation nearly impossible.
The Longer Record
El Tenampa Mexican Restaurant on South Orange Blossom Trail has 41 prior inspections on record, the longest history of any facility cited this week, and still drew eight high-severity violations including food from an unapproved source and inadequate handwashing facilities. Kabsah on South Orange Blossom Trail has 39 prior inspections and drew seven high-severity violations this week. Las Cazuelas on Lake Underhill Road has 35 prior inspections on record.
Mama Lau and Chens each have 33 prior inspections on record. Both drew eight or more high-severity violations this week, and both were cited for food from unapproved sources. Denny's #6366 on East Colonial Drive has 32 prior inspections and drew only two high-severity violations this week, the lowest total among flagged facilities.
Le Gout Lakay Restaurant stands out for the opposite reason. It has only two prior inspections on record, making this week's visit among its first documented encounters with state inspectors. It drew seven high-severity violations and eight intermediate citations, the highest intermediate count of the week, including an improper sewage or wastewater disposal citation.
The Hilton Garden Inn near Millenia Mall has 11 prior inspections on record and drew 11 high-severity violations this week, including parasite destruction procedures not followed. Whether inspectors found documented parasite control records for any fish or pork products on the menu was not specified in the records reviewed.
