TAMPA, FL. Inspectors cited Shogun Sushi on North Dale Mabry Highway for 13 high-severity violations during the week of August 4, the highest single-facility count among 15 Tampa restaurants flagged this week for serious food safety failures.
The violations at Shogun Sushi covered nearly every layer of food safety. Inspectors documented food from unapproved or unknown sources, food in poor condition or adulterated, no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing facilities, improper handwashing technique, inadequate shell stock identification, and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized. That is eight distinct high-severity categories at a single location, plus three intermediate violations.
The Violations
China Buffet on East Fowler Avenue drew 12 high-severity violations, the second-highest count of the week. Among the citations: no person in charge present or performing duties, no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing, improper handwashing technique, food from unapproved sources, inadequate shell stock identification, and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized.
The emergency closure this week came before most of those inspection reports were filed. On August 4, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation ordered Devito's Italian Specialties at 200 N Tampa Street closed for roach activity. The closure came on the first day of the inspection week.
Six restaurants each accumulated six high-severity violations. Keke's Breakfast Cafe on North Dale Mabry Highway was cited for toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, improper handwashing technique, inadequate handwashing by employees, and an employee not reporting illness symptoms. Inspectors also flagged improper sewage or wastewater disposal at the same location, an intermediate violation.
Fusion Bowl Caphe on East Kennedy Boulevard was cited for food from unapproved sources, inadequate shell stock identification, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, improper handwashing technique, inadequate handwashing facilities, and no person in charge present.
Mi Bandera Bar and Restaurant on West Hillsborough Avenue drew citations for toxic chemicals improperly stored, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, inadequate shell stock identification, improper handwashing technique, and no employee health policy. Inspectors also documented improper sewage disposal and inadequate toilet facilities there.
Mangroves Grill on Spectrum Boulevard was cited for required procedures for specialized processes not followed, time as a public health control not properly used, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, inadequate shell stock identification, inadequate handwashing facilities, and no person in charge present. Inspectors also noted improper sewage disposal and single-use items being reused.
Senor Rocoto on Hanley Road was cited for food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, inadequate shell stock identification, improper handwashing technique, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, no employee health policy, and no person in charge present.
Foody's Restaurant on West Hillsborough Avenue drew six high-severity violations with no intermediate violations at all: no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, improper handwashing technique, inadequate shell stock identification, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
More Facilities, More Flags
Palm River Pizza on Palm River Road was cited for five high-severity violations, including food from unapproved sources, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate handwashing, and improper handwashing technique.
Hot Rocks Pizza on Memorial Highway drew five high-severity violations including toxic chemicals improperly stored, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, inadequate shell stock identification, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, and improper handwashing technique.
Culver's of Carrollwood on North Dale Mabry Highway was cited for five high-severity violations: no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, improper handwashing technique, inadequate handwashing by employees, and an employee not reporting illness symptoms.
Einstein Bros Bagels on North Dale Mabry Highway drew four high-severity violations including no allergen awareness demonstrated, toxic chemicals improperly stored, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, and an employee not reporting illness symptoms. Inspectors also flagged improper sewage disposal, improper sanitizing solution, and inadequate cooling equipment at the same location.
Tokyo Restaurant on West Hillsborough Avenue was cited for four high-severity violations including no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, inadequate shell stock identification, improper handwashing technique, and no person in charge present. Pho Quyen Vietnamese Cuisine on West Hillsborough Avenue drew four high-severity violations for the same combination: no person in charge, improper handwashing technique, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Norky's Pollos a la Brasa on Hanley Road drew a single high-severity violation: no person in charge present or performing duties.
What These Violations Mean
The most common high-severity violation this week was improper handwashing technique, cited at eleven of the fifteen facilities. That is not a paperwork problem. Studies show that even when employees attempt to wash their hands, improper technique leaves enough pathogens behind to contaminate food. At facilities like Shogun Sushi, China Buffet, and Foody's Restaurant, inspectors documented both the absence of adequate handwashing facilities and the failure to use proper technique, meaning the breakdown exists at both the infrastructure and behavior level simultaneously.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources was cited at Shogun Sushi, China Buffet, Fusion Bowl Caphe, and Palm River Pizza. When food enters a kitchen from an unapproved supplier, it has bypassed USDA and FDA inspection. If someone gets sick, there is no supply chain record to trace. That gap is exactly what makes outbreak investigations take weeks instead of days.
Inadequate shell stock identification was cited at nine facilities this week, including Shogun Sushi, China Buffet, Fusion Bowl Caphe, Mi Bandera, Mangroves Grill, Senor Rocoto, Foody's Restaurant, Hot Rocks Pizza, and Tokyo Restaurant. Oysters, clams, and mussels are consumed raw or lightly cooked, and shellfish are among the most common vehicles for Vibrio and Norovirus. Without harvest tags on file, there is no way to determine where a contaminated batch came from if diners fall ill.
Toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled appeared at Keke's Breakfast Cafe, Mi Bandera, Hot Rocks Pizza, and Einstein Bros Bagels. Cleaning agents stored near or above food preparation surfaces can contaminate food through spills or mislabeling. This is one of the few violation categories that can cause acute illness in a single meal rather than through bacterial accumulation over time.
The Longer Record
China Buffet on East Fowler Avenue has 58 prior inspections on record, the longest history of any facility in this week's data. Twelve high-severity violations after 58 inspections is not a new restaurant finding its footing. It is a facility with a documented, extended inspection history that produced a near-record violation count this week.
Mi Bandera Bar and Restaurant carries 45 prior inspections, Tokyo Restaurant and Pho Quyen Vietnamese Cuisine each have 41 or 42, and Senor Rocoto has 41. All four drew high-severity violations this week in categories, including handwashing failures and shell stock deficiencies, that are among the most consistently cited problems across Tampa's inspection record.
Shogun Sushi, the week's top offender with 13 high-severity violations, has 24 prior inspections. Mangroves Grill has 31, Foody's Restaurant has 30, and Palm River Pizza has 29. None of these are new establishments encountering inspectors for the first time.
Two facilities stand out as relatively new to the inspection record. Culver's of Carrollwood has 13 prior inspections and drew five high-severity violations this week. Hot Rocks Pizza has 15 prior inspections and drew five as well, including toxic chemicals improperly stored. Both locations are accumulating serious citations early in their inspection histories.
Devito's Italian Specialties, closed for roach activity on August 4, does not appear in the inspection data provided for this week. Whether prior inspections flagged pest conditions before the emergency closure is not reflected in the current record.
