ORLANDO, FL. State inspectors cited Bikkuri Sushi Noodle and Grill on East Colonial Drive for 11 high-severity violations during the week of September 20, including no manager present or performing duties, no written employee health policy, workers not reporting illness symptoms, food from unapproved or unknown sources, and shellfish with no traceability records — a combination inspectors flag as a blueprint for a multi-victim outbreak.
China Garden on Conroy Windermere Road matched that tally with 11 high-severity violations of its own, including inadequate shell stock records, parasite destruction procedures not followed for fish or pork, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, and time used as a public health control without proper documentation.
What Inspectors Found
Catrinas Mexican Fusion on North Semoran Boulevard drew 10 high-severity violations, including no person in charge present, food from unapproved sources, and no consumer advisory posted for raw or undercooked menu items. Inspectors also flagged shellfish traceability failures and improper use of time as a public health control.
Citrus Club on South Orange Avenue also reached 10 high-severity violations. The citations included parasite destruction procedures not followed, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, no employee illness reporting, and shellfish records that inspectors deemed inadequate.
Old Cuban Cafe on North Goldenrod Road logged 9 high-severity violations and 7 intermediate, the heaviest combined load of any facility this week. Among the most serious: food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, toxic substances improperly identified or stored, and inadequate handwashing facilities. No person in charge was present during the inspection.
Oh Que Bueno Restaurant Grill and Bar on South Semoran also drew 9 high-severity violations. Inspectors cited the restaurant for food from unapproved sources, improper handwashing technique, no consumer advisory for raw foods, and two separate toxic chemical violations: improperly stored or labeled chemicals and toxic substances improperly identified or used.
Amalfi on Avalon Lake Drive collected 8 high-severity violations, including toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, no allergen awareness demonstrated, employees not reporting illness symptoms, and shellfish traceability failures. Inspectors also noted food contact surfaces not properly cleaned.
Nature's Table on South Orange Avenue matched that count with 8 high-severity violations. Inspectors found inadequate handwashing facilities, food from unapproved sources, parasite destruction procedures not followed, and no allergen awareness. The facility also lacked a consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Amma's Kitchen on International Drive, a location that draws heavy tourist traffic, drew 8 high-severity citations including food not cooked to required minimum temperature, parasite destruction procedures not followed, toxic chemicals improperly stored, and no consumer advisory posted.
Crowne Plaza Downtown Orlando on West Colonial Drive also reached 8 high-severity violations. The hotel kitchen was cited for no person in charge present, food from unapproved sources, time as a public health control not properly used, toxic chemicals improperly stored, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Mi Ranchito Oaxaqueno on North Chickasaw Trail drew 7 high-severity violations including no person in charge, no allergen awareness, and no consumer advisory. Inspectors also cited improper handwashing technique and shellfish records deemed inadequate.
Los Ameca's Restaurante y Taqueria on South Orange Avenue logged 7 high-severity violations including inadequate handwashing facilities, toxic chemicals improperly stored, and employees not reporting illness symptoms. No person in charge was present during the inspection.
China Lee on South Kirkman Road drew 6 high-severity violations. Among the most notable: improper sewage or waste water disposal, an intermediate violation that inspectors flagged alongside inadequate shell stock records, no consumer advisory, and no allergen awareness demonstrated.
Libra and Bar Libra on South Orange Avenue collected 4 high-severity violations including food not cooked to required minimum temperature, time as a public health control not properly used, no consumer advisory, and no allergen awareness.
Flyers Wings and Grill on West Colonial Drive drew 3 high-severity violations, the lowest tally this week, but the citations included food not cooked to the required minimum temperature alongside improper handwashing technique and unclean food contact surfaces.
What These Violations Mean
The most consequential pattern this week is the near-universal failure around employee illness reporting and health policies. At Bikkuri Sushi, China Garden, Old Cuban Cafe, Citrus Club, Mi Ranchito Oaxaqueno, Los Ameca's, Crowne Plaza, Amalfi, and Nature's Table, inspectors found either no written employee health policy, employees not reporting symptoms of illness, or both. A food worker with Norovirus who handles ready-to-eat food can contaminate dozens of servings before a single customer reports feeling sick. The written policy requirement exists precisely because verbal reminders are not enough.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources is a separate but equally serious problem. At China Garden, Bikkuri Sushi, Catrinas Mexican Fusion, Oh Que Bueno, Nature's Table, and Crowne Plaza, inspectors flagged this violation. When food enters a restaurant through an uninspected or unverified supplier, there is no traceable chain of custody. If someone gets sick, investigators cannot identify the source, cannot issue a recall, and cannot stop others from being harmed.
Parasite destruction failures at China Garden, Citrus Club, Nature's Table, and Amma's Kitchen represent a risk that many diners don't consider. Fish served raw or undercooked, including sushi-grade preparations, must be frozen to specific temperatures for specific durations to kill Anisakis and other parasites. Without documentation that this process was followed, there is no way to verify the fish on the plate was safe before it was served.
Toxic chemical violations at Old Cuban Cafe, Oh Que Bueno, Amalfi, Amma's Kitchen, Crowne Plaza, and Los Ameca's round out the week's most alarming findings. Cleaning chemicals stored near or above food preparation areas can contaminate food through drips, mislabeling, or accidental use. The violations at Oh Que Bueno were cited twice, under two separate categories, suggesting inspectors found multiple instances or locations of improper chemical storage.
The Longer Record
China Lee on South Kirkman Road carries the longest inspection history of any facility in this week's data, with 77 prior inspections on record. That number means inspectors have visited this address more than twice as often as most other facilities featured here, and this week's 6 high-severity violations, including sewage disposal concerns and allergen failures, are part of a record that stretches back years.
Libra and Bar Libra on South Orange Avenue has 38 prior inspections on record. Citrus Club has 30. Old Cuban Cafe, Crowne Plaza, and Los Ameca's each carry 29. The accumulation of inspections at these addresses, combined with high-severity citations appearing again this week, indicates these are not first-time stumbles.
Bikkuri Sushi has 33 prior inspections on record and still drew 11 high-severity violations this week, including no manager present and no illness reporting system. China Garden, with 28 prior inspections, matched that violation count. Neither facility's history suggests the citations are a surprise to regulators.
Two facilities stand out at the other end of the experience curve. Mi Ranchito Oaxaqueno has only 7 prior inspections on record, making it one of the newest locations in this week's roundup. It still drew 7 high-severity violations including no person in charge, no allergen awareness, and inadequate handwashing. Catrinas Mexican Fusion has 19 prior inspections and already accumulated 10 high-severity violations this week. Both restaurants are early in their inspection histories and already drawing the same categories of citations as facilities that have been on the state's radar for years.
