ORLANDO, FL. Tabla Orlando on Grand National Drive drew 10 high-severity violations during a state inspection the week of May 11, the highest single-facility count among 15 Orlando-area restaurants cited for critical food safety failures in a seven-day stretch.
State inspectors documented that Tabla had no person in charge present or performing duties, that employees used improper handwashing technique, that food came from unapproved or unknown sources, that shellfish lacked required identification records, that food contact surfaces were not properly cleaned or sanitized, that food was not cooked to required minimum temperatures, that time was not properly used as a public health control, and that no consumer advisory existed for raw or undercooked items. Two intermediate violations accompanied those eight findings, bringing the total to 12 citations at a single facility in a single visit.
The Violations
Ocean Buffet on East Colonial Drive recorded 8 high-severity violations, including inadequate handwashing facilities, food from unapproved sources, shellfish without required traceability records, food not cooked to minimum temperature, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled. The facility also lacked a consumer advisory for raw or undercooked items and failed to properly use time as a public health control.
A Aki Sushi and Steakhouse on West Sand Lake Road drew 8 high-severity citations as well, among them an employee not reporting symptoms of illness, food from unapproved sources, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and toxic chemicals stored without proper labeling. No person in charge was present or performing duties during the inspection.
China Tea at Universal Boulevard was cited for failing to follow parasite destruction procedures, a violation that means fish served raw or lightly cooked may not have been frozen to the temperatures and timeframes required to kill parasites including Anisakis and tapeworm. The facility also had no employee health policy, no consumer advisory, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and food not cooked to minimum temperature.
@ The Diner, also on Universal Boulevard, was cited for food in poor condition, mislabeled, or adulterated, alongside failures to follow parasite destruction procedures and food arriving from unapproved sources. That combination, food with unknown origins that may also be improperly handled before service, represented one of the broader traceability concerns across this week's inspections.
Sushi Lolas on Corrine Drive was the only facility this week cited for both failing to demonstrate allergen awareness and having an employee not reporting illness symptoms, alongside no employee health policy and improperly stored toxic chemicals.
China Wok on East Colonial Drive drew 7 high-severity violations, including employees not reporting illness symptoms, no allergen awareness, and multi-use utensils not properly cleaned, which inspectors documented as an intermediate violation.
Mariscos Los Pulpos Restaurant on West Oak Ridge Road was cited for no person in charge, inadequate handwashing facilities, food from unapproved sources, shellfish without traceability records, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, food not cooked to minimum temperature, and toxic substances improperly identified or stored. Inspectors also noted an intermediate violation for improper sewage or wastewater disposal.
Bulgogi House III on West Oak Ridge Road drew 7 high-severity violations including no person in charge, no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing by food employees, and food from unapproved sources. Inspectors also cited improper sewage or wastewater disposal as an intermediate violation.
House of Pho Orlando on South John Young Parkway was cited for two separate chemical storage violations, both improperly stored or labeled chemicals and toxic substances improperly identified or used, in addition to improper handwashing technique, unclean food contact surfaces, and food not cooked to minimum temperature.
Polite Pig on East Buena Vista Drive drew 7 high-severity violations including parasite destruction failures, no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, and a failure to follow required procedures for specialized processes. That last citation applies to methods like smoking, curing, or reduced-oxygen packaging, processes that require precise controls to prevent bacterial growth.
Hungry Crab on South Apopka Vineland Road was cited for 6 high-severity violations including no person in charge, food from unapproved sources, shellfish without traceability records, improperly stored chemicals, and no consumer advisory.
Kobe Japanese Steak House on International Drive drew 6 high-severity violations including parasite destruction failures and two separate chemical storage citations. Inspectors also noted wiping cloths used improperly, a common contamination vehicle when cloths are reused across surfaces.
San Jose's Original Mexican Restaurant on South Apopka Vineland Road was cited for food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards, alongside food from unapproved sources and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces.
Kitty O'Shea's Irish Pub on Palm Parkway drew 6 high-severity violations including an employee not reporting illness symptoms, food not cooked to minimum temperature, improperly used time as a public health control, improperly stored chemicals, and no consumer advisory.
What These Violations Mean
The most frequently cited violation this week, appearing across at least ten of the fifteen facilities, was some form of failure around consumer advisories, food sourcing, or handwashing. Each of those categories carries a distinct pathway to illness.
Food from unapproved sources, documented at Ocean Buffet, Tabla Orlando, A Aki Sushi, @ The Diner, Mariscos Los Pulpos, Bulgogi House III, Hungry Crab, and San Jose's, means the supply chain for those ingredients bypasses federal inspection. If a contamination event occurs, there is no lot number, no distributor record, and no reliable way to trace where the food came from or who else may have received it.
Shellfish traceability failures, cited at Ocean Buffet, Tabla Orlando, China Tea, @ The Diner, China Wok, Mariscos Los Pulpos, Bulgogi House III, House of Pho, and Hungry Crab, are a distinct but related problem. Shellfish are among the highest-risk foods served in any condition short of fully cooked. They filter seawater and concentrate pathogens including Vibrio and norovirus. The tag system exists precisely because shellfish outbreaks require rapid source identification, and without it, that identification is impossible.
The parasite destruction failures at China Tea, @ The Diner, Kobe Japanese Steak House, and Polite Pig mean that fish served raw or lightly cooked may not have undergone the freezing protocol required to kill Anisakis and other parasites. Anisakis larvae can embed in the stomach lining and cause symptoms that mimic appendicitis. The protocol is straightforward: freeze fish to specific temperatures for specific durations. The citation means inspectors found no documentation that this was done.
Employee illness reporting failures at A Aki Sushi, Sushi Lolas, China Wok, Bulgogi House III, Polite Pig, and Kitty O'Shea's are among the most direct transmission risks in any food service setting. Norovirus can be transmitted by a single infected employee touching food, and a single ill worker can infect dozens of customers before anyone notices a pattern. A written health policy and a requirement to report symptoms are the first line of defense. Six facilities this week had neither.
The Longer Record
The inspection histories behind this week's findings vary considerably, and that variation matters.
A Aki Sushi and Steakhouse has 45 prior inspections on record, the most of any facility cited this week. That volume represents years of state oversight, and this week's 8 high-severity violations, including unapproved food sources, improperly cleaned surfaces, and no responsible manager on site, are not a new facility finding its footing. Mariscos Los Pulpos carries 44 prior inspections and drew 7 high-severity violations this week, including a sewage disposal citation.
Tabla Orlando has 32 prior inspections on record and led the week with 10 high-severity citations. Bulgogi House III carries 34 prior inspections and was cited this week for no person in charge, no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness, and inadequate handwashing. House of Pho Orlando has 33 prior inspections and drew two separate chemical storage violations in a single visit.
At the other end of the spectrum, Ocean Buffet has only 3 prior inspections on record, making it one of the newest facilities in this week's data. It still drew 8 high-severity violations, including inadequate handwashing facilities, food from unapproved sources, and improperly stored chemicals. San Jose's Original Mexican Restaurant has 4 prior inspections and was cited for food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards alongside an unapproved food source.
Tabla Orlando's 10 high-severity violations across 32 prior inspections, with a no-person-in-charge citation still appearing in the most recent record, remains the unresolved fact at the center of this week's findings.