MIAMI, FL. A state inspector visiting Spanglish & Grails at 2800 N Miami Ave on April 22 documented that the restaurant had not followed parasite destruction procedures for fish and other proteins, a failure that means customers may have consumed raw or undercooked seafood harboring live parasites including Anisakis and tapeworm.
That was one of eight high-severity violations cited that day. The restaurant was not closed.
What Inspectors Found
The parasite violation was not the only finding tied directly to what customers ate. Inspectors also cited the restaurant for failing to cook food to required minimum temperatures, a condition that allows Salmonella in poultry and other pathogens to survive on the plate. Serving undercooked food without a consumer advisory compounds the risk: state records show no advisory was posted to warn vulnerable diners that certain items were raw or undercooked.
Two separate handwashing violations were cited on the same visit. Inspectors found that food employees were not washing their hands adequately, and that the technique used when handwashing did occur was itself improper. These are distinct citations, which means the inspector observed both a frequency problem and a method problem.
Food contact surfaces were not properly cleaned or sanitized. Toxic chemicals were improperly stored or labeled near food areas. The restaurant's cooling equipment was found inadequate to maintain required temperatures, and ventilation was flagged as insufficient.
Ten violations total. Eight of them high-severity.
What These Violations Mean
The parasite destruction citation is among the most consequential findings in the April 22 report. When a restaurant serves fish, pork, or wild game without following required freezing or cooking protocols, parasites including Anisakis, tapeworm, and Trichinella can survive and infect diners. These are not theoretical risks. Anisakiasis causes severe abdominal pain and can require surgical removal of larvae from the stomach wall. State code requires specific time-and-temperature combinations to kill these organisms before food reaches a customer.
The two handwashing violations, taken together, describe a kitchen where the most basic contamination barrier was failing on multiple levels. Inadequate handwashing is the single leading factor in the spread of foodborne illness through food service. When the technique is also improper, pathogens remain on hands even when a washing attempt is made, meaning the gesture of washing provides no actual protection.
The missing consumer advisory matters most for specific populations. Pregnant women, elderly diners, young children, and anyone with a compromised immune system face acute risk from raw or undercooked proteins. Without a posted advisory, those customers have no way to make an informed decision about what they are ordering.
Improperly stored toxic chemicals near food areas represent a different category of danger entirely. Mislabeled or misplaced cleaning agents and pesticides can contaminate food directly, causing acute poisoning unrelated to any bacterial or parasitic agent.
The Longer Record
The April 22 inspection was not an anomaly. State records show Spanglish & Grails has been inspected 18 times in total, accumulating 108 violations across that history.
High-severity violations have appeared in every single inspection on record going back to at least 2023. Six high-severity violations were cited in August 2024. Six more in January 2024. Five in March 2024. The April 22 count of eight is the highest single-visit high-severity total in the recent record.
The categories repeat. Handwashing failures, temperature control problems, and food safety procedure violations appear across multiple inspection cycles. This is not a facility encountering a bad day. The pattern in state records describes a kitchen where foundational safety practices have remained inconsistent across years of inspections.
The facility has never been emergency-closed. In 18 inspections and 108 violations, no inspector has pulled the plug.
Open for Business
After the April 22 inspection, Spanglish & Grails remained open to the public. No emergency closure order was issued despite the eight high-severity findings, including the parasite destruction failure, the dual handwashing violations, the undercooking citation, and the unsecured toxic chemicals.
State emergency closure authority is triggered when an inspector determines that conditions pose an immediate threat to public health. The determination is made at the inspector's discretion.
On April 22, that threshold was not reached at 2800 N Miami Ave. The restaurant served customers that evening.