ORLANDO, FL. Viet-Nomz on East Colonial Drive drew 10 high-severity violations during the week of April 29, the highest single-facility tally in Orange County inspections for that period, with inspectors documenting food from unapproved sources, inadequate shellfish traceability records, food not cooked to required minimum temperatures, and no person in charge present or performing duties.
Fourteen other Orlando restaurants recorded high-severity violations during the same seven-day stretch, and inspectors cited a combined total of more than 100 high-severity findings across all 15 facilities.
The Week's Worst Findings
Viet-Nomz also had an employee failing to report illness symptoms and another employee using improper handwashing technique, a combination inspectors flagged alongside the unapproved sourcing and temperature violations. The shellfish traceability citation is particularly notable: without proper tagging records, there is no way to trace oysters, clams, or mussels back to their harvest location if customers become ill.
Sharon's Homestyle Cookin on South Orange Avenue recorded nine high-severity violations, including the same trio of unapproved food sources, inadequate shellfish records, and improperly cleaned food contact surfaces. Inspectors also cited toxic substances improperly stored or used and no consumer advisory posted for raw or undercooked foods.
Bachata Breeze Restaurant on Curry Ford Road produced eight high-severity findings, among them no written employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, and toxic chemicals improperly stored near food. The restaurant also lacked a consumer advisory for raw or undercooked items.
Memories of Peru on Crystal Clear Lane 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 found that time was not being used properly as a public health control, meaning food was allowed to sit in the temperature danger zone without documentation or a corrective plan.
Harry's Pool Side Bar and Grill on International Drive recorded eight high-severity violations and zero intermediate violations. The facility had inadequate handwashing infrastructure, food from unapproved sources, shellfish without traceability records, food not cooked to minimum temperature, no consumer advisory, and toxic substances improperly stored. The absence of any intermediate violations does not soften the picture: all eight citations were at the most serious level inspectors assign.
More Violations Across the City
Cantina Catrina at the South Orange Blossom Trail location had seven high-severity violations, including food in poor condition or adulterated, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, and toxic chemicals improperly stored. Inspectors also cited multi-use utensils not properly cleaned, a finding that compounds the food contact surface sanitation failure documented in the same visit.
PRS Taco Palace on West Smith Street drew seven high-severity violations including no person in charge, no employee health policy, improper handwashing technique, and food from unapproved sources. The intermediate citation for improper sewage or wastewater disposal stands apart: sewage violations introduce fecal contamination risk throughout a facility, not just at a single station.
District Gastrobar and Obsidian Lounge on West Church Street had seven high-severity violations including a citation for parasite destruction procedures not followed and a finding that time was not properly used as a public health control. Inspectors also noted improper sewage disposal, the same intermediate finding recorded at PRS Taco Palace that same week.
Corazon Cocina Mexicana on Visitors Circle drew six high-severity violations, including a citation for no allergen awareness demonstrated, a finding that affects the 32 million Americans living with food allergies. Inspectors also found improper sewage disposal and inadequate sanitizing procedures in the same visit.
Kavas Tacos and Tequila on International Drive had six high-severity violations including food not cooked to required minimum temperature and time not properly used as a public health control. The facility also had improper sewage disposal and multi-use utensils not properly cleaned.
VanBarry's Public House on South Orange Avenue recorded six high-severity violations including parasite destruction procedures not followed and inadequate cold-holding equipment, a combination that means fish may not be properly frozen to kill parasites and, once thawed, may not be kept cold enough to prevent bacterial growth.
Kizuna Asian Buffet and Sushi on South Apopka Vineland Road drew six high-severity violations, including inadequate shellfish traceability records, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and toxic chemicals improperly stored. An intermediate citation for inadequate ventilation was also noted.
Unreserved on Chelonia Parkway had six high-severity violations including no allergen awareness demonstrated, food not cooked to minimum temperature, and inadequate shellfish records. Multi-use utensils were not properly cleaned.
El Patron on South Apopka Vineland Road recorded six high-severity violations including food from unapproved sources, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, and toxic chemicals improperly stored. Inspectors also cited improper sewage disposal and inadequate ventilation.
Spicy and Juicy Crab on West Colonial Drive drew six high-severity violations including parasite destruction procedures not followed, food not cooked to minimum temperature, and food from unapproved sources. A single-use item reuse citation was the only intermediate finding.
What These Violations Mean
The most common high-severity finding across this week's inspections was food from unapproved or unknown sources, cited at ten of the fifteen facilities including Viet-Nomz, Sharon's Homestyle Cookin, Bachata Breeze, Harry's Pool Side Bar and Grill, and six others. When food bypasses licensed distributors and USDA or FDA inspection, there is no chain of custody if a customer becomes ill. An outbreak traced to uninspected product can take investigators weeks to source, and in that time more people get sick.
Shellfish traceability failures appeared at five facilities this week, including Viet-Nomz, Sharon's Homestyle Cookin, Harry's Pool Side Bar and Grill, Kizuna Asian Buffet and Sushi, and Unreserved. Oysters, clams, and mussels are typically eaten raw or lightly cooked, meaning heat does not kill pathogens already present. Without harvest tags and dealer records, a Vibrio or norovirus outbreak linked to shellfish cannot be traced to its source or stopped at the supply level.
Undercooking citations appeared at seven facilities this week, including Cantina Catrina, Harry's Pool Side Bar and Grill, Kavas Tacos and Tequila, Spicy and Juicy Crab, Unreserved, El Patron, and Viet-Nomz. Salmonella in poultry survives below 165 degrees Fahrenheit. That is not a regulatory threshold chosen arbitrarily: it is the temperature at which the pathogen dies.
Parasite destruction failures at VanBarry's Public House, District Gastrobar, and Spicy and Juicy Crab carry a specific risk most diners do not think about. Fish served raw or lightly cooked must be frozen to prescribed temperatures and times to kill Anisakis and other parasites. Without documented freezing protocols, there is no evidence the step was taken.
The Longer Record
Kizuna Asian Buffet and Sushi carries the longest inspection history of any facility on this week's list, with 41 prior inspections on record. Six high-severity violations in the most recent visit, including shellfish traceability failures and chemical storage problems, represent a pattern that four decades of inspections have not resolved.
Viet-Nomz has 36 prior inspections on record and this week produced the highest single-visit violation count of any facility in the group. Bachata Breeze and PRS Taco Palace each have 32 prior inspections, and both drew seven or more high-severity findings this week. El Patron has 31 prior inspections and recorded six high-severity violations including unapproved food sources.
Sharon's Homestyle Cookin, Memories of Peru, and VanBarry's Public House each show 27 prior inspections. All three drew high-severity citations this week in overlapping categories: unapproved food sourcing, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and chemical storage failures.
Kavas Tacos and Tequila stands at the other end of the history spectrum with only 7 prior inspections on record. Six high-severity violations in one of its earliest documented visits, including undercooking and sewage disposal failures, is a concerning start. Unreserved has 14 prior inspections and drew six high-severity findings this week including allergen awareness failures and shellfish traceability gaps.
Spicy and Juicy Crab has 25 prior inspections and was cited this week for parasite destruction failures alongside food from unapproved sources. Whether parasite destruction protocols have been cited in prior visits is not reflected in the current data.