TAMPA, FL. Inspectors cited China Buffet at 1245 E Fowler Ave for eight high-severity violations during the week of June 3, including improperly stored toxic chemicals near food, no active person in charge, and food held under a time-as-public-health-control system that inspectors found was not being followed correctly, all at a facility that has now accumulated 52 inspections on record.
That was the highest single-facility violation count of the week. Fifteen Tampa restaurants drew high-severity citations between June 3 and June 9, and one was emergency-closed before the week was out.
The Closure
Rouen Thai Restaurant at 3324 W Gandy Blvd was ordered closed on June 3, the first day of the inspection window, after inspectors documented roach activity on the premises. The emergency closure is the most immediate action available to the state, reserved for conditions that pose an imminent public health threat.
Roach activity is not a paperwork violation. Live roaches travel between sewage, trash, and food preparation surfaces, carrying bacteria including Salmonella and E. coli on their bodies and legs.
What Inspectors Found
Coasis at 7701 N Nebraska Ave drew seven high-severity violations, including no adequate handwashing facilities, no employee health policy, and missing shellfish traceability records. Inspectors also noted that the person in charge was not present or not performing duties, and that time as a public health control was not being properly applied.
La Vitanuova Sports Bar and Grill at 8502 N Armenia Ave was cited for six high-severity violations, among them food found in poor condition or adulterated, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, missing shellfish identification records, and no consumer advisory posted for raw or undercooked menu items.
Sweet Krunch Korean Fried Chicken at 1520 E 7 Ave drew five high-severity violations including food from an unapproved or unknown source and food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards. Inspectors also cited the restaurant for missing shellfish traceability records and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Bern's Steak House at 1208 S Howard Ave was cited for five high-severity violations: food from an unapproved or unknown source, inadequate shellfish identification records, improper use of time as a public health control, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked items, and improper handwashing technique. An intermediate violation for inadequate ventilation and lighting was also noted.
Good Taste at 8221 N Florida Ave accumulated four high-severity and three intermediate violations. The high-severity findings included food from an unapproved or unknown source, no employee health policy, inadequate handwashing facilities, and improper handwashing technique. Intermediate violations included improper sewage or wastewater disposal, multi-use utensils not properly cleaned, and improper use of wiping cloths.
Al's Finger Licking Good Soul Food at 2302 E 7 Ave was cited for four high-severity violations, including no employee health policy, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, missing shellfish identification records, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Barterhouse at 1811A 15 Street drew four high-severity violations including no allergen awareness demonstrated, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and improper handwashing technique.
Donatellos at 232 N Dale Mabry was cited for four high-severity violations: no person in charge, improper handwashing technique, missing shellfish identification records, and toxic substances improperly identified, stored, or used.
Hungry Crab at 19601 Bruce B Downs Blvd drew four high-severity violations including no person in charge, inadequate handwashing facilities, improper handwashing technique, and food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized.
Lara at 1919 7th Avenue was cited for three high-severity violations, including food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards, missing shellfish identification records, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Steak n Shake at 5917 E Hillsborough Ave drew three high-severity violations for improper handwashing technique, food contact surfaces not properly cleaned or sanitized, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked menu items.
M&R Cafe Southern Cuisine at 3320 E Osborne Ave was cited for three high-severity violations: improper handwashing technique, missing shellfish identification records, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Shells of Brandon at 115 E Brandon Blvd drew two high-severity violations, including inadequate shellfish identification records and failure to follow parasite destruction procedures for fish or other susceptible proteins.
Heights Shuffleboard Society at 2612 N Tampa St was cited for two high-severity violations: no person in charge and an employee not reporting symptoms of illness.
What These Violations Mean
The most pervasive high-severity violation across this week's inspections was improper handwashing technique, cited at China Buffet, Coasis, La Vitanuova, Sweet Krunch, Bern's Steak House, Good Taste, Barterhouse, Donatellos, Hungry Crab, Steak n Shake, and M&R Cafe. Improper technique means pathogens remain on workers' hands even when a washing attempt is made. That residue then transfers directly to food, utensils, and surfaces.
The absence of an employee health policy, cited at China Buffet, Coasis, Good Taste, and Al's Finger Licking Good Soul Food, removes the structural barrier between a sick employee and a customer's plate. Without a written policy, workers have no formal instruction to report symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice before a shift. Norovirus, which causes the majority of foodborne illness outbreaks in restaurant settings, spreads through exactly this gap.
Shellfish traceability failures appeared at Coasis, La Vitanuova, Sweet Krunch, Bern's Steak House, Al's Finger Licking Good Soul Food, Donatellos, M&R Cafe, Shells of Brandon, and Hungry Crab. Oysters, clams, and mussels are frequently consumed raw or lightly cooked, and without tag records, health officials cannot identify the harvest source if customers become ill. That traceability gap can delay or entirely prevent a public health response to an outbreak.
Food from unapproved or unknown sources, cited at Sweet Krunch, Bern's Steak House, and Good Taste, means product that bypassed federal inspection entirely. There is no chain of custody, no temperature verification during transit, and no mechanism to issue a recall if contamination is detected. The allergen awareness failure at Barterhouse is a separate but equally direct risk: food allergies send roughly 30,000 Americans to emergency rooms each year, and a kitchen that cannot demonstrate allergen awareness is one where a customer's disclosure may not translate into a safe meal.
The Longer Record
China Buffet's 52 prior inspections make it the most-inspected facility on this week's list by a wide margin. Eight high-severity violations at a restaurant with that volume of state attention is not a first encounter with the inspection process. The facility has had more than enough contact with inspectors to address structural issues including chemical storage, active management presence, and time-temperature controls.
Steak n Shake on Hillsborough has 36 prior inspections on record, and Good Taste on N Florida Ave has 34. Both carry repeated categories of violation this week, including handwashing failures and food sourcing concerns, at facilities that have been through the inspection cycle dozens of times.
Lara on 7th Avenue has 31 prior inspections and drew a citation this week for food contaminated by chemical, physical, or biological hazards. Bern's Steak House, one of Tampa's most prominent dining institutions with 25 prior inspections, was cited for food from an unapproved source and missing shellfish records, violations that speak to supply chain oversight rather than day-to-day kitchen hygiene.
At the other end of the history spectrum, La Vitanuova Sports Bar and Grill has only two prior inspections on record and already carries six high-severity violations, including adulterated food and unsanitized food contact surfaces. Sweet Krunch Korean Fried Chicken has four prior inspections and drew a citation for food from an unapproved or unknown source, a finding that raises questions about the restaurant's supply chain that the inspection record alone cannot answer.
Shells of Brandon was cited this week for failure to follow parasite destruction procedures, a violation that requires specific freezing protocols for certain fish species before they can be served raw or undercooked. Whether that protocol is now in place at the Brandon Boulevard location was not reflected in the inspection data released this week.