ORLANDO, FL. The kitchen at Hilton Garden Inn Orlando I-4 Millenia Blvd Mall on Millenia Place Drive drew 11 high-severity violations during the week of August 21, the most of any facility inspected in Orange County that week, with inspectors citing failures ranging from inadequate handwashing to food not cooked to required minimum temperatures and parasite destruction procedures not followed.
The hotel restaurant's violations included a person in charge not present or not performing duties, employees not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing facilities, and improper hand and arm washing technique, all cited in the same visit. Inspectors also documented food in poor condition or mislabeled. This was the facility's 11th inspection on record.
The Week's Worst Findings
Hyderabad Cafe on Fenton Street drew 10 high-severity violations, second-highest of the week. Inspectors cited food from an unapproved or unknown source, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, and time as a public health control not properly used, along with no employee health policy and improper handwashing technique.
Two restaurants on West Colonial Drive were inspected the same week and both accumulated serious violation totals. Mama Lau and OC LLC at 5038 W. Colonial Drive drew 9 high-severity violations, including food from an unapproved or unknown source, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and employees not reporting illness symptoms.
Le Gout Lakay Restaurant at 5032 W. Colonial Drive, just six addresses away, drew 7 high-severity and 8 intermediate violations. Inspectors cited a person in charge not present or not performing duties, no employee health policy, improper sewage or wastewater disposal, no allergen awareness demonstrated, and inadequate shell stock identification.
Juicy Crab on East Michigan Street drew 9 high-severity violations including inadequate shell stock identification, parasite destruction procedures not followed, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and no employee health policy. A person in charge was not present or not performing duties during the inspection.
Las Cazuelas Mexican Restaurant on Lake Underhill Road drew 8 high-severity violations. Inspectors cited toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, toxic substances improperly identified, stored, or used, no allergen awareness demonstrated, and a person in charge not present or not performing duties.
Chens on Curry Ford Road also drew 8 high-severity violations, including food from an unapproved or unknown source, required procedures for specialized processes not followed, time as a public health control not properly used, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled.
ANF Gyro Location 2 on West Colonial Drive drew 8 high-severity violations including food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards, time as a public health control not properly used, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, and no person in charge present or performing duties.
Sushi99 Sushi and Grill on North Avalon Park Boulevard drew 8 high-severity violations, including food from an unapproved or unknown source, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, time as a public health control not properly used, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Charleys Philly Steaks on South Kirkman Road drew 8 high-severity violations. Inspectors cited food from an unapproved or unknown source, food in poor condition or mislabeled, inadequate shell stock identification, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, and toxic substances improperly identified, stored, or used.
Talkin Tacos on Orange Avenue drew 8 high-severity violations including food from an unapproved or unknown source, inadequate shell stock identification, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, time as a public health control not properly used, and no person in charge present or performing duties.
Hungry Howies on East Colonial Drive drew 6 high-severity violations, including parasite destruction procedures not followed, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled. Inspectors also cited single-use items being improperly reused.
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 documented rodent activity at the location.
What These Violations Mean
Food from unapproved or unknown sources, cited at Hyderabad Cafe, Mama Lau and OC LLC, Chens, Sushi99, Charleys Philly Steaks, and Talkin Tacos, is one of the most difficult violations to remediate after the fact. When food bypasses USDA or FDA inspection, there is no traceability chain. If a customer gets sick, investigators cannot identify the origin of the contaminated product or how far it was distributed.
Parasite destruction failures, cited at the Hilton Garden Inn, Juicy Crab, and Hungry Howies, matter most at restaurants serving fish that may be consumed raw or lightly cooked. Parasites including Anisakis and tapeworm larvae survive in underprocessed fish and can cause severe gastrointestinal illness. Proper freezing protocols exist specifically to kill these organisms before the food reaches a plate.
The "time as a public health control" violations at Hyderabad Cafe, Chens, ANF Gyro, Sushi99, and Talkin Tacos represent a specific and commonly misused alternative to temperature control. When a facility opts to use time rather than refrigeration to keep food safe, it must follow a written procedure and discard food at the designated endpoint. Without that discipline, food sits in the bacterial growth zone, between 41 and 135 degrees Fahrenheit, for hours without any safeguard.
Inadequate shell stock identification, cited at Juicy Crab, Charleys Philly Steaks, Talkin Tacos, and Le Gout Lakay, is a traceability failure specific to shellfish. Oysters, clams, and mussels are frequently consumed raw. If a batch is contaminated with Vibrio or norovirus, inspectors need the harvest tags to trace the source and pull product from distribution. Without those records, an outbreak investigation stalls.
The Longer Record
El Tenampa Mexican Restaurant on South Orange Blossom Trail has 42 prior inspections on record, the longest history of any facility cited this week. Despite that accumulated inspection history, the restaurant was still cited this week for improper hand and arm washing technique and food not cooked to required minimum temperature, two of the most fundamental food safety requirements.
Las Cazuelas Mexican Restaurant has 35 prior inspections on record, and Chens and Mama Lau and OC LLC each have 33. All three were cited this week for multiple high-severity violations. Denny's #6366 on East Colonial Drive, with 32 inspections on record, drew only 2 high-severity violations this week, the lowest total among the facilities in this roundup.
Sushi99 Sushi and Grill carries 30 prior inspections and was still cited for 8 high-severity violations this week, including food from an unapproved source and food not cooked to required minimum temperature. Outpost Neighborhood Tavern on North Eola Drive has 22 prior inspections and drew 3 high-severity violations, including improper sewage or wastewater disposal.
Le Gout Lakay Restaurant has only 2 prior inspections on record, making it among the newest locations cited this week. It drew 7 high-severity and 8 intermediate violations in what appears to be an early inspection, including no person in charge present, no employee health policy, improper sewage disposal, no allergen awareness, and inadequate shell stock identification. Whether those violations persist into subsequent inspections remains to be seen.
