TAMPA, FL. Inspectors cited Tampeno Fish and Meat Market on West Tampa Bay Boulevard for sourcing food from an unapproved or unknown supplier during the week of September 10, one of four Tampa restaurants flagged for the same violation in seven days, a finding that means the food on those premises bypassed federal safety inspections entirely.
Tampeno also drew citations for an employee not reporting illness symptoms, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods, and no allergen awareness demonstrated. Five high-severity violations. No intermediate violations. The market has only six prior inspections on record.
What Inspectors Found
Checkers on East Fletcher Avenue and Pabellon Restaurant and Bar on West Waters Avenue each drew six high-severity violations, the highest total of any facility inspected this week. Checkers was cited for no person in charge present or performing duties, no employee health policy, inadequate shell stock identification, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, improper use of time as a public health control, and no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
Pabellon's six high-severity violations covered no person in charge, no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, improper hand and arm washing technique, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and no consumer advisory. No intermediate violations accompanied either facility's report.
Bella Brava Midtown on Gramercy Lane drew five high-severity and three intermediate violations, the highest combined total of the week at eight. The high-severity findings included food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, no employee health policy, improper use of time as a public health control, no consumer advisory, and no allergen awareness demonstrated. The intermediate list included improper sewage or wastewater disposal and inadequate or improperly maintained toilet facilities.
Wagamama on Water Street was cited for five high-severity violations: no person in charge, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate shell stock identification, improper use of time as a public health control, and no consumer advisory.
Copper Indian Restaurant on Countryway Boulevard drew five high-severity citations including inadequate handwashing facilities and improper handwashing technique, a combination that means the physical infrastructure and the practiced behavior both failed on the same visit.
India's Grill on West Kennedy Boulevard was cited for food from an unapproved or unknown source alongside improper handwashing technique, no employee health policy, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and no consumer advisory. Buddy's Juice Bar on South Howard Avenue drew the same unapproved-source flag, plus citations for food in poor condition or adulterated, toxic substances improperly identified or stored, no employee health policy, and no allergen awareness.
Amaretto Ristorante on Tampa Bay Boulevard rounded out the four facilities flagged for unapproved food sources. The Italian restaurant also drew citations for improper handwashing technique, inadequate shell stock identification, and no consumer advisory.
Marche C at Tampa International Airport's George J. Bean Parkway was cited for failure to follow parasite destruction procedures for fish, alongside no person in charge, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, and inadequate shell stock identification. Outback Steakhouse on Sheldon Road drew the same parasite destruction citation, combined with improper handwashing technique, no consumer advisory, and toxic substances improperly identified or stored.
Ana Coffee Shop Corp on East 20th Avenue was cited for four high-severity violations including no employee health policy, an employee not reporting illness symptoms, and improper handwashing technique, plus inadequate cooling and cold holding equipment among its intermediate findings.
Big John's Alabama Bar-B-Que on North 40th Street drew four high-severity citations: an employee not reporting illness symptoms, inadequate shell stock identification, improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, and no consumer advisory. Inadequate cooling equipment appeared as an intermediate violation alongside improperly cleaned multi-use utensils.
Gao Restaurant on North Himes Avenue was cited for improperly cleaned food contact surfaces, no consumer advisory, and toxic chemicals improperly stored or labeled. KFC/Taco Bell on Ehrlich Road drew a single high-severity violation: no consumer advisory for raw or undercooked foods.
What These Violations Mean
Four facilities this week, Tampeno Fish and Meat Market, India's Grill, Buddy's Juice Bar, and Amaretto Ristorante, were cited for sourcing food from unapproved or unknown suppliers. That violation means the food arrived without passing through USDA or FDA inspection checkpoints. If a customer becomes ill, investigators cannot trace the product back to its origin, which is how outbreaks go uncontained.
Six facilities, Checkers, Pabellon, Bella Brava Midtown, India's Grill, Buddy's Juice Bar, and Ana Coffee Shop, lacked any written employee health policy. That document is what legally requires workers to report symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or jaundice before they handle food. Without it, a sick employee has no written instruction to stay home. Norovirus, which causes roughly 20 million illnesses annually in the United States, spreads primarily through infected food workers.
Marche C and Outback Steakhouse were both cited for failing to follow parasite destruction procedures. When fish is served raw or undercooked, parasites including Anisakis survive unless the product has been frozen to specific temperatures for a defined period. That protocol is not optional for facilities serving sushi, ceviche, or undercooked fish preparations. Bella Brava Midtown was additionally cited for food not cooked to the required minimum temperature, a separate but related failure: Salmonella in poultry survives below 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Buddy's Juice Bar drew a citation for toxic substances improperly identified or stored, and Outback Steakhouse drew a similar citation for toxic substances improperly identified, stored, or used. Both violations mean cleaning chemicals or pesticides were not segregated from food preparation areas in the manner required. Chemical contamination from mislabeled or improperly stored products can cause acute poisoning without any visible sign in the food itself.
The Longer Record
The facility with the longest inspection history on this week's list is KFC/Taco Bell on Ehrlich Road, with 38 prior inspections on record. It drew only one high-severity violation this week. India's Grill on West Kennedy has 32 prior inspections and drew five high-severity violations, including an unapproved food source citation. A facility with that inspection history and that violation type is not a first-time stumble.
Outback Steakhouse on Sheldon Road has 31 prior inspections. Checkers on Fletcher has 30. Both drew four or more high-severity violations this week. Gao Restaurant and Ana Coffee Shop each have 29 prior inspections, as does Pabellon Restaurant and Bar. That Pabellon, with nearly three dozen inspections behind it, was still cited this week for an employee not reporting illness symptoms and no employee health policy suggests those foundational documents have not been consistently in place.
At the other end of the record, Buddy's Juice Bar has only two prior inspections and drew five high-severity violations on one of its earliest visits, including unapproved food sources, adulterated food, and improperly stored toxic substances. Copper Indian Restaurant has five prior inspections and drew five high-severity citations including both inadequate handwashing facilities and improper technique. Tampeno Fish and Meat Market, with six prior inspections, drew its unapproved-source citation early in its inspection history.
Bella Brava Midtown has 12 prior inspections and produced the week's highest combined violation total. It is among the newer facilities on the list. The sewage disposal violation, classified as intermediate, remains unresolved in the public record as of the inspection date.
