South Florida diners face a stark reminder of commercial kitchen hazards as recent state health inspections uncover totals of code infractions, led by a Tamarac buffet that racked up 34 distinct violations during an unannounced visit. While these establishments were permitted to remain open, food safety investigators documented alarming conditions ranging from active insect infestations and improper food storage to temperature control failures.
State oversight targeting regional eateries has intensified following a series of routine and complaint-driven checks across Miami, Miami-Dade County, Broward County and Key West. According to state records, inspectors with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation hold the authority to order restaurants closed when inspectors determine that conditions pose an immediate threat to public health. Although several venues across South Florida faced temporary emergency closures last week for issues involving rodent activity, live roaches, and mold-laden ice machines, others escaped shutter orders despite accumulating severe red flags.
Inside the Tamarac Buffet Inspection
At Chow Time Grill and Buffet, located at 6997 West Commercial Blvd. in Tamarac, a complaint-driven visit on September 21 exposed 34 separate violations. Among the most concerning discoveries was a pest problem that spanned multiple areas of the facility. Investigators recorded approximately 38 dead beetles on the floor in dry storage next to the back door, alongside roughly 28 dead beetles and one live beetle in the electrical room. An active roach was also found crawling up the wall in the employee bathroom located at the back of the kitchen.
Cross-contamination hazards were also rampant throughout the kitchen and prep areas. Staff stored non-commercially packaged raw ground-pork wontons directly above French fries in a freezer. In the walk-in cooler, raw shrimp sat above cooked noodles, while raw chicken was stored above raw beef. At the sushi bar reach-in cooler, raw tuna was improperly positioned above cream cheese. Compounding these storage failures, inspectors issued a stop-sale order after discovering approximately eight packages of commercially processed, reduced-oxygen packaged tuna that were no longer frozen despite bearing labels requiring them to remain frozen until use.
Temperature control and hygiene lapses further marred the inspection report. The establishment’s dish machine registered a chlorine sanitizer strength of 0ppm, prompting an order to halt mechanical sanitization until repairs were completed. Inspectors also noted multiple handwashing failures, including an employee who handled a trash can and immediately touched a container of raw fish without washing their hands. Diced tomatoes cooling in a reach-in cooler failed to drop in temperature at an approved rate, recorded at 51F at 1:55 and 58F at 3:05.
Broader Regional Enforcement and Pests
The issues identified in Tamarac mirror a wider pattern of sanitation struggles documented by state inspectors across South Florida. In Miami’s Midtown district, Ichimi at 3250 NE 1st Ave. was ordered closed on August 26 after regulators uncovered 23 violations, highlighted by approximately 18 rodent droppings beneath single-service storage near the hallway leading to the bathrooms. Additional droppings were discovered near an alcohol storage room, behind white freezers near a rear exit, underneath a three-compartment sink, and behind a freezer near a walk-in cooler. Inspectors at that location also documented grease, dust, and mold-like material on kitchen ceilings, vents, and tiles, as well as cutting boards that had accumulated food debris and mold-like substances, alongside a dishwashing machine that was not properly sanitizing.
Further south in the Kendall area, Giardino Gourmet Salads at 11624 N. Kendall Drive was shut down on August 27 following the discovery of 10 violations. State personnel issued a stop-sale order after observing live small flying insects landing inside a container of garbanzo beans at the front counter, alongside more than 15 live flies landing inside a container of red onions beneath a preparation table. Black and green mold-like buildup was similarly observed inside the restaurant’s ice machine.
In North Lauderdale, a KFC restaurant at 7107 West McNab Road faced an emergency closure on August 26 after officials documented three violations, including approximately three live roaches crawling on the cove molding and wall behind the kitchen’s deep fryers. Regulators mandated thorough cleaning and pest elimination protocols before permitting those establishments to reopen following follow-up inspections.
