On Dec. 2, Shanghai Chinese Restaurant at 2344 Griffin Road in Lakeland was temporarily closed after an inspector noted 14 live roaches (high priority) and 15 dead roaches (basic violation), mostly near a dry storage area.
Another high-priority violation was for raw shell eggs stored over sauce in a walk-in cooler.
And there were two other basic violations: soiled floors and walls behind kitchen equipment; and a container of cooking oil stored on the floor.
In a call back the next day, the restaurant met standards with zero violations.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as a “snapshot” in time, and not an indication of normal conditions at a restaurant. For instance, in January 2025, the last inspection before its disastrous one in December, Global Foody Lovers was perfect, with zero violations.
Abuelo’s Mexican Food Embassy, 3700 Lakeside Village Blvd., Lakeland: On Dec. 2, the restaurant had seven violations, none high priority.
Three were intermediate: a black substance on the margarita machine at the bar; a strainer in the hand wash sink at the bar; and no proof of required state approved employee training for any employees.
The other four were basic: packs of mahi and sea bass were thawing on the cook line without being removed from their reduced oxygen packaging; employee drinks were sitting next to soda bibs on the cook line; cracked sheet pans by the salsa station and cracked plastic tortilla chip bins by the fryers; and no handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by employees.
A warning was issued.
- Palace Pizza, 114 S. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland: On Dec. 2, the restaurant had seven violations, none high priority.
Two were intermediate: A bar area was added without plans submitted for approval; and required employee training was expired for all employees.
The other five were basic: A cup with no handle was used in the sugar bin; gaskets in a reach-in cooler were soiled; pizza boxes were stored on the floor; catering pans were stored upright and not protected from contamination; and a wet mop wasn’t stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry.
A warning was issued.
- The Lakeland Country Club, 929 Lake Hollingsworth Drive, Lakeland: On Dec. 16, the restaurant had seven violations, none high priority.
Three were intermediate: no written procedures for employees to follow in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event; the person in charge lacked proof of food manager certification; and no proof of required training for any employees.
The rest were basic: An employee’s drink cup was on a cutting board; pans were wet nesting on a shelf; a light under the hood system wasn’t functioning; and an employee had a wiping cloth hanging off his belt.
A warning was issued.
- Geico Direct, 3535 W. Pipkin Road, Lakeland: On Dec. 10, the restaurant had six violations, none high priority.
Three were basic: no written procedures in response to a vomiting or diarrheal event; a hand wash sink was blocked by a black utility cart; and the person in charge lacked proof of food manager certification.
And three were basic: A case of SwissMiss hot chocolate was stored on the floor; reach-in cooler shelves were pitted with rust; and a case of 12-ounce paper cups were stored on the floor.
A warning was issued.
- Carrabba’s Italian Grill, 4829 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland: On Dec. 8, the restaurant had four violations: A clogged drain was causing wastewater backup from the three-compartment sink floor drain (high priority); a hand wash sink was blocked by a ladder (intermediate); the operator was conducting reduced oxygen packaging of a sauce without an approved HACCP plan (intermediate); and food packaged with this process wasn’t removed from the packaging within 48 hours (basic).
An administrative complaint was recommended. In a call back on Dec. 9, the restaurant was given a time extension on two remaining violations.
- Texas Cattle Company, 735 E. Main St., Lakeland: On Dec. 10, the restaurant had four violations: A box was sitting on top of cut lettuce in the kitchen (high priority); several items were cold held at greater than 41 degrees, including blue cheese, cut tomatoes, dang bang sauce and beef (high priority); an employee hand wash sink was blocked with a chair and mop bucket (intermediate); and broccoli was stored uncovered in a walk-in cooler (basic).
A warning was issued. In a call back on Dec. 11, the restaurant met standards with zero violations.
- Hakucho, 207 E. Main St., Lakeland: On Dec. 11, the restaurant had four violations: no proof of required training provided for any employees (intermediate); no written procedures for use of time as a public health control to hold time/temperature controlled food (intermediate); the operator was conducting cook-chill sous vide cooking without an approved HACCP plan (intermediate); and a cloth was touching bean sprouts in a walk-in cooler (basic). A warning was issued.
- The Chop Shop, 118 S. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland: On Dec. 10, the restaurant had three violations: Renovations were made without a plan submitted for approval (intermediate); a soda machine ice chute was soiled with food debris or a mold-like substance (intermediate); and to-go items were stored on the floor (basic). An administrative complaint was recommended.
- The Olive Garden Italian Restaurant #4432, 1340 Lakeside Village Circle, Lakeland: On Dec. 10, the restaurant had three basic violations: Eleven dead roaches were found by the inspector; the floor was soiled with an accumulatio, including grease under cooking equipment and debris under dry-storage shelves and a beverage station; and shelves under a stove and gaskets on a reach-in cooler were soiled.
A warning was issued. In a call back on Dec. 11, the restaurant met standards with one remaining violation: the soiled shelves and gaskets.
- Celeste Brazil Steak ‘N Burger, 3800 U.S. 98 N., No. 684, Lakeland: On Dec. 8, the restaurant had two intermediate violations: The person in charge lacked proof of food manager certification; and no proof of required training for any employees. A warning was issued.
- Mootown Scoops, 723 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland: On Dec. 11, the restaurant had two intermediate violations: The person in charge lacked proof of certification; and no proof of required training for any employees. A warning was issued.