Eight restaurants across Central Florida were forced to close last week after health inspectors discovered serious violations including rodent droppings, roaches, and lack of potable water, according to state records. The closures affected establishments in Casselberry, Clearwater, and Orlando, with several restaurants allowed to reopen within days after meeting inspection standards.
City Buffet at 100 Live Oaks Blvd. in Casselberry faced the most extensive list of violations when it was closed March 17. Health inspectors found over 200 rodent droppings on the premises, along with improper food storage practices including raw shrimp kept over ready-to-eat sauces in the walk-in cooler and raw salmon stored over wontons in the walk-in freezer. The restaurant also had raw chicken stored over raw beef in the walk-in freezer, no time mark on sushi rice, and medicine stored above the make line.
Additional violations at City Buffet included an employee who didn’t wash hands before cutting vegetables, nonfood-grade bags used in direct contact with food, and Raid mouse bait stored on a shelf above food. The dishmachine chlorine sanitizer was not at proper minimum strength, and a follow-up inspection was required as of March 18.
In Clearwater, two establishments were shuttered for health violations. Bar-B-Q Queen food truck at 1267 N. Highland Ave. was closed March 20 after inspectors found the establishment operating with no potable running water in the food truck. Two small flying insects were discovered in the kitchen, an employee began working without first washing hands, and the faucet at the three-compartment sink does not reach all compartments.
Media Luna Mexican at 1617 N. Highland Ave. in Clearwater was closed March 17 after inspectors found over a dozen dead roaches and ten live roaches on the premises. The restaurant was also operating with an expired license and had raw chicken stored with raw beef in the freezer. A follow-up inspection was required as of March 20.
Orlando saw one restaurant closure when China Lee at 2338 S. Kirkman Road was shuttered March 16. Health inspectors discovered nearly 20 dead roaches and over 100 live roaches on the premises, along with an accumulation of roach droppings in several areas of the restaurant. The inspection report also noted a live rodent found on the premises.
The state records show that several of these restaurants were permitted to reopen within a day or two after addressing the violations and meeting inspection standards. Follow-up inspections were required for multiple establishments to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations before reopening to the public.