ORLANDO, FL. Ocean Buffet at 3109 E. Colonial Drive drew 15 high-severity violations in a single inspection this week, the highest count among 15 Orlando-area restaurants cited for serious food safety failures between July 30 and August 5, 2026.
The violations at Ocean Buffet covered nearly every layer of food safety. Inspectors found no employee health policy, no documentation that employees were reporting illness symptoms, and inadequate handwashing facilities. They also cited improper handwashing technique, food from unapproved or unknown sources, inadequate shell stock identification, and failure to follow parasite destruction procedures for fish.
That last violation matters in a buffet setting. Without proper freezing or cooking protocols, parasites including Anisakis and tapeworm can survive in fish served to customers.
The Week's Worst Findings
Antille's Cuisine at 2798 N. Hiawassee Road drew 8 high-severity and 7 intermediate violations. Inspectors cited food in poor condition or adulterated, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, toxic chemicals stored near food, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked items.
Avalon Bamboo Wok at 3464 Avalon Park W. Blvd. also drew 8 high-severity violations, including inadequate shell stock records, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, improperly stored toxic chemicals, and failure to properly use time as a public health control.
Grills Lakeside at 4301 N. Orange Blossom Trail was cited for food from unapproved or unknown sources, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, and two separate toxic substance violations. No consumer advisory for raw or undercooked food was posted.
14 Bis Pizzeria at 2869 Wilshire Drive drew 8 high-severity violations including food in poor condition, failure to cook food to minimum required temperature, no allergen awareness demonstrated, and failure to follow required procedures for specialized processes. The allergen violation alone affects a population of 32 million Americans who rely on restaurant staff to handle their orders safely.
Seana's at 719 Good Homes Road was cited for failure to follow parasite destruction procedures, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and an intermediate violation for improper sewage or wastewater disposal. The sewage finding is one of the week's most acute: improper disposal creates pathways for fecal contamination throughout a facility.
Harmony Tea Shoppe at 12301 Lake Underhill Road drew 7 high-severity violations including food from unapproved sources, failure to cook food to minimum temperature, improper use of time as a public health control, and no allergen awareness. Multi-use utensils were also cited as improperly cleaned.
Mama Romano's at 13802 Landstar Blvd. was cited for food from unapproved sources, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, improper use of time as a public health control, no consumer advisory, and improperly stored toxic substances. An intermediate violation for improper sewage or wastewater disposal was also documented.
Palacio Chino at 13898 Landstar Blvd., just down the block from Mama Romano's, drew 7 high-severity violations of its own, including food from unapproved sources, inadequate shell stock records, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and improperly stored toxic chemicals.
Dragon City Chinese Restaurant at 2773 N. Hiawassee Road was cited for inadequate handwashing by food employees, improper handwashing technique, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and two toxic substance violations. Inspectors also noted single-use items being reused and inadequate ventilation.
East Wok at 13807 Landstar Blvd. drew 6 high-severity violations including employees not adequately washing hands, improper handwashing technique, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, no consumer advisory, and improperly stored chemicals.
Porch South Orange at 4757 South Orange Avenue was cited for food from unapproved sources, improper use of time as a public health control, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and improperly stored toxic chemicals, among 6 high-severity violations.
Starlight Restaurant and Lounge at 5233 Old Winter Garden Road drew 5 high-severity violations including food not cooked to minimum temperature, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and two toxic substance violations. An intermediate citation for inadequate toilet facilities was also noted.
Hyatt House Orlando/Universal at 5940 Caravan Court was cited for no person in charge present or performing duties, no employee health policy, inadequate handwashing facilities, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked items. Intermediate violations included reused single-use items, improperly used wiping cloths, and inadequate toilet facilities.
The Country Club of Orlando at 1601 Country Club Drive drew the week's lowest count: one high-severity violation for employees not reporting illness symptoms, and one intermediate citation for single-use items being reused.
What These Violations Mean
The most common serious violation this week was the absence of an employee health policy, cited at Ocean Buffet, Antille's Cuisine, Avalon Bamboo Wok, Grills Lakeside, 14 Bis Pizzeria, Harmony Tea Shoppe, Mama Romano's, Palacio Chino, Dragon City, and Hyatt House. Without a written policy, there is no documented system requiring sick employees to stay home. Norovirus, which causes 20 million infections annually in the United States, spreads most efficiently through food handlers who continue working while symptomatic.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources, cited at Ocean Buffet, Grills Lakeside, Harmony Tea Shoppe, Mama Romano's, Palacio Chino, and Porch South Orange, carries a specific traceability risk. When food enters a restaurant outside the licensed supply chain, it bypasses USDA and FDA inspections. If a customer gets sick, there is no paper trail to identify the source, no recall mechanism, and no way to determine how many others were exposed.
The shellfish traceability violation, documented at Ocean Buffet, Avalon Bamboo Wok, and Palacio Chino, compounds that problem. Oysters, clams, and mussels are often consumed raw or lightly cooked. Without shell stock identification tags, there is no way to trace a contaminated batch back to the harvest location if illnesses emerge.
Toxic chemical violations appeared at nine facilities this week: Antille's Cuisine, Avalon Bamboo Wok, Grills Lakeside, Seana's, Starlight, Dragon City, East Wok, Palacio Chino, Porch South Orange, and Mama Romano's. Chemicals stored near or above food do not need to spill in large quantities to cause harm. Residue from a mislabeled container or an improperly rinsed surface can reach a customer's plate without any visible sign.
The Longer Record
14 Bis Pizzeria has 39 prior inspections on record, the most of any facility in this week's roundup. Eight high-severity violations in a single inspection, at a location with that volume of prior regulatory contact, suggests the problems documented this week are not new territory for inspectors visiting that address.
Antille's Cuisine has 33 prior inspections on record, and Seana's and Mama Romano's each carry 31. All three drew 7 or more high-severity violations this week. Across three decades of combined inspection history at those three addresses, the same categories of violations, including handwashing, food contact surfaces, and illness reporting, continue to appear.
Starlight Restaurant and Lounge has 30 prior inspections on record. Palacio Chino has 26, and Dragon City Chinese Restaurant has 25. All three were cited this week for toxic chemical violations and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces.
Ocean Buffet stands apart in a different way. With only 4 prior inspections on record, it is among the newest locations in this week's group, yet it produced the highest single-inspection violation count of the week: 15 high-severity citations. The combination of food from unapproved sources, missing parasite destruction procedures, and no employee illness reporting framework at a facility still early in its inspection history is a pattern inspectors will be watching at that address on E. Colonial Drive.
