ORLANDO, FL. State inspectors emergency-closed Thai Island Orlando Restaurant on S Semoran Boulevard on May 7 for roach activity, one of 15 Orange County restaurants that logged high-severity violations during the week of May 6 through May 12, 2026.
Thai Island's closure came despite the restaurant carrying the lightest violation total of any facility on this week's list, just one high-severity citation and two intermediate ones. The roach activity alone was enough to pull its license.
The Violations
Ford's Garage on International Drive led the week with 9 high-severity citations and 4 intermediate ones. Inspectors documented that the person in charge was not present or not performing duties, that employees were not reporting illness symptoms, that handwashing facilities were inadequate, and that parasite destruction procedures for fish were not being followed. Toxic substances were also improperly stored or identified.
Two additional violations at Ford's Garage involved shellfish traceability. Inspectors cited inadequate shell stock identification records, meaning oysters or clams served at the restaurant could not be traced to a certified source if a customer became ill.
A Aki Sushi and Steakhouse on W Sand Lake Road drew 8 high-severity violations. Among them: food from an unapproved or unknown source, time as a public health control not properly used, toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, and no consumer advisory posted for raw or undercooked foods. A sushi restaurant serving raw fish without a consumer advisory leaves customers who are pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised with no warning on the menu.
Mariscos Los Pulpos Restaurant on W Oak Ridge Road was cited for food from an unapproved source, food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, inadequate handwashing facilities, and improper sewage or wastewater disposal. The combination of a compromised food source and undercooking in the same inspection is among the most direct pathways to a foodborne illness outbreak.
Bulgogi House III, also on W Oak Ridge Road, drew 7 high-severity violations including no employee health policy, employees not reporting illness symptoms, food from an unapproved source, and inadequate shell stock records. Inspectors also noted improper sewage or wastewater disposal as an intermediate violation.
Maroush Shawrma and Grill on N Alafaya Trail was cited for food in poor condition, mislabeled, or adulterated, alongside improper handwashing technique, no consumer advisory, and toxic chemicals improperly stored. Inspectors also flagged inadequate shell stock identification records at a shawarma and grill, a category of food that does not typically feature shellfish prominently, raising questions about sourcing practices.
IHOP #36-225 on W Colonial Drive received 7 high-severity citations, including parasite destruction procedures not followed, food not cooked to required minimum temperature, no allergen awareness demonstrated, and toxic chemicals improperly stored. An IHOP where staff cannot demonstrate allergen awareness is a particular concern given the chain's broad customer base, including families with children.
Adega Gaucha on Crystal Clear Lane logged 6 high-severity violations, among them food from an unapproved source, time as a public health control not properly used, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and improper sewage disposal. The Brazilian steakhouse format, which often features continuous tableside service of meats, makes time-temperature control especially critical.
Mangia on Avalon Park Boulevard East was cited for inadequate handwashing facilities, improper handwashing technique, no allergen awareness, and improper sewage disposal, in addition to food contact surfaces not properly cleaned. Both handwashing violations appearing together in a single inspection, inadequate facilities and improper technique, means the problem is structural, not incidental.
Portillo's on Palm Parkway drew 6 high-severity violations including parasite destruction procedures not followed, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, no consumer advisory, and inadequate or improperly maintained toilet facilities. Broken or inadequate restroom facilities for employees create direct pressure against proper handwashing.
Tijuana Flats Burrito Company on Avalon Park Boulevard was cited for no employee health policy, employees not reporting illness symptoms, no consumer advisory, and toxic chemicals improperly stored. Inspectors also flagged improper waste disposal, which attracts pests.
Pocha 93 on W Colonial Drive received 6 high-severity violations, including food not cooked to required minimum temperature, two separate chemical storage violations, and no allergen awareness demonstrated. Two distinct chemical violations in a single inspection suggests chemicals were being stored or used in more than one non-compliant location.
Baku Asian Fusion Bar on Crystal Lake Lane drew 5 high-severity violations including food from an unapproved source, inadequate shell stock records, and improper handwashing technique. Inspectors also noted single-use items being improperly reused, a practice that creates contamination risks from items never designed to be cleaned and reused.
Russell's on Ivanhoe on N Orange Avenue was cited for food not cooked to required minimum temperature, no employee health policy, improper handwashing technique, and toxic chemicals improperly stored.
Azteca D'Oro on W Colonial Drive rounded out the list with 5 high-severity violations, including food not cooked to required minimum temperature, no employee health policy, inadequate shell stock records, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
What These Violations Mean
The most frequently cited violation this week, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, appeared at 11 of the 15 facilities. This is not a paperwork problem. Cutting boards, prep tables, and utensil surfaces that are not properly sanitized become transfer points for bacteria including Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. Any food prepared on those surfaces after a contaminated item carries the contamination forward.
The employee illness reporting failures at Ford's Garage, Bulgogi House III, Tijuana Flats, Mangia, Adega Gaucha, Baku Asian Fusion Bar, and Portillo's represent a different category of risk. Norovirus, the most common cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States, spreads primarily through infected food workers who continue working while symptomatic. A single infected employee handling food can expose dozens of customers in a single shift.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources, cited at A Aki Sushi, Mariscos Los Pulpos, Bulgogi House III, Maroush Shawrma, Adega Gaucha, and Baku Asian Fusion Bar, removes the traceability chain entirely. If a customer becomes ill after eating at one of these restaurants, investigators cannot determine where the food came from, which farm or processor is responsible, or how many other facilities received the same contaminated supply.
The inadequate shell stock identification records cited at Ford's Garage, Bulgogi House III, Mariscos Los Pulpos, Maroush Shawrma, Adega Gaucha, Baku Asian Fusion Bar, and Azteca D'Oro compound that problem specifically for shellfish. Oysters and clams are frequently consumed raw. Without harvest location tags and date records on file, there is no way to connect a sick diner to a specific shellfish bed during a public health investigation.
The Longer Record
A Aki Sushi and Steakhouse carries the longest inspection history of any facility on this week's list, with 45 prior inspections on record. This week's 8 high-severity violations at a restaurant with that many prior visits is not the profile of a facility working through early compliance problems.
Mariscos Los Pulpos has 44 prior inspections on record, and Bulgogi House III has 34. Both logged 7 high-severity violations this week, and both were cited for food from unapproved sources and inadequate shell stock records, violations that require active management decisions, not just equipment fixes.
Thai Island Orlando Restaurant has 52 prior inspections on record, the most of any facility in this week's data, and was the only one emergency-closed. Its total violation count this week was the lowest of any facility listed. The roach activity that triggered the closure was not predicted by violation volume.
Baku Asian Fusion Bar has only 7 prior inspections on record, making it among the newest facilities in this week's roundup. It still accumulated 5 high-severity violations and 5 intermediate ones, including food from an unapproved source and single-use items being reused. Whether those practices persist into subsequent inspections will determine whether Baku follows the pattern set by its neighbors on Crystal Clear Lane.
Adega Gaucha shares a street address block on Crystal Clear Lane with Baku Asian Fusion Bar and logged 6 high-severity violations of its own this week, including food from an unapproved source and improper sewage disposal. Both restaurants at that address were cited for unapproved food sourcing in the same inspection week, and neither has resolved its shell stock record requirements.