What’s that flying? Pines eateries that failed — and passed — November inspections
Pembroke Pines — ready to see how your local haunts fared in last month’s food inspections?
Six restaurants racked up the highest amount of serious violations during November’s assessments, according to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Three earned squeaky-clean, infraction-free results from inspectors.
Those that underperformed include a popular Asian food hall, a Haitian restaurant, a buffet, a Latin deli, a meal-prep delivery service and a Cuban franchise that’s taken over South Florida.
Most were categorized under “Follow Up Inspection Required,” meaning they didn’t pass their inspection, but weren’t considered enough of a threat to customers to shut down. One had to close its doors.
High-priority violations include any practices that “could contribute directly to a foodborne illness or injury,” according to DBPR. This covers live flying insects, improper sanitation techniques, contamination of raw food with cooked food and other offenses that bacteria like Salmonella and Listeria thrive on.
Eateries with spotless records had no critical or noncritical issues and met the state’s standards during their reviews.
Here are the local restaurants that missed the mark during their November 2025 inspections:
Baoshi Food Hall + Bar, 8525 Pines Blvd.
Routine inspection, 14 total violations, four high-priority violation
Raw fish and and cooked goods — including rice, fish cakes and a bucket of sauces — were spotted mingling at this Asian vendors market famous for hosting social events such as paint and sips, karaoke nights and movie screenings.
The uncooked seafood and ready-to-serve eats were stacked on top of each other in coolers at DOMi, which serves up sushi rolls, bowls and small Japanese eats, leading to a cross-contamination citation.
No time marking was available for a container of sushi rice, making its shelf life or “best-by” date indiscernable to inspectors, who had employees correct the violation on site.
Bottles of Butane — a highly flammable, low-toxicity gas used as fuel for lighters and stoves or in aerosols — were nuzzled up with dry goods and spice containers.
At Yip, the food hall’s bubble milk tea shop, food thermometers were noticeably absent to DBPR.
Milk was stored in too-high temperatures and boba pearls were chilled to unsafe degrees, going against hot and cold-holding temperatures needed to prevent bacteria growth and keep food safe to eat.
A follow-up inspection the next day saw Baoshi meet the department’s standards.
Bel-Air Restaurant & Lounge, 8120 Pines Blvd.
Routine inspection, 21 total violations, five high-priority violations
An accumulation of “black mold like substance buildup” was spotted by inspectors on several cutting boards at this Haitian eatery that boasts a “spotless, safe, satisfying” environment on its website’s homepage.
Grease and old food debris lined cooking equipment and a mixture of lemon slices in water was used to clean kitchenware in lieu of a sanitizer solution.
Depsite repeat citations, the restaurant still stored raw sausage alongside ready-to-eat goods.
To cool cooked chicken stored in warmer temperatures than recommended, employees placed ice packs on the poultry for a “quick chill.”
The restaurant’s less-severe infractions include produce and takeout containers stored on the floor and a container of cooked turkey whose “best by” date was still missing.
Bel-Air Restaurant & Lounge — which received its results Nov. 5 — has yet to undergo a follow-up inspection as of Dec. 9.
Chow Time Grill & Buffet, 12375 Pembroke Road
Complaint Full inspection, 16 total violations, three high-priority violations
Four dead and seven live roaches led DBPR to shut down operations at this pan-Asian buffet that failed its October inspections as well.
In case you missed it, flying insects, temperature issues and black-mold buildup were just some of the violations haunting its October report.
In November, inspectors found six live flies, imitation crab stored in too-high temperatures and old food debris, dust and grease crowding most of the buffet’s surfaces.
The buffet’s basic violations included a “heavy mold-like substance” lining air conditioning vents and ceiling tiles, storing food on the floor or without a lid, and using an old, single-use jug to dispense rice.
According to DBPR’s site, the division only doles out “emergency closures” when an establishment’s violations “pose an elevated risk to the health, safety or welfare of the public.”
A follow-up inspection the next day found that Chow Time “Met Inspection Standards” and was allowed to reopen, nearly acing its assessment save for one violation: grease buildup on its cooking equipment.
J.A.W. Deli & Restaurant, 12141 Pembroke Road
Routine inspection, 10 total violations, three high-priority violations
Two live flying insects buzzed around the diswashing area of this Dominican deli that serves up comfort food including sancocho, pastelón and mondongo.
J.A.W.’s operator was quick to kill the bugs and sanitize the area, according to DBPR.
Cooked chicken and beef were not kept chilled within the eatery’s coolers and separate containers of sauce and cooked pork had no shelf life markings.
Also noted by inspectors were several food items stored on a walk-in freezer floor and a lid-less container of soup in the cooler.
A follow-up inspection to the Nov. 3 assesment has yet to happen as of Dec. 9.
Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine, 2150 N University Drive
Complaint Full inspection, 13 total violations, six high-priority violations
When asked to wash their hands, an employee did so “for less than 10 seconds,” noted DBPR in this South Florida franchise’s November report.
Another worker kept the same gloves on to handle raw fish and steak as well as cooked food and kitchen equipment.
Raw chicken was shelved at temperatures nearly 10 degrees hotter than recommended and fried plantains, roasted chicken and rice were not kept to hot-holding standards. An open bag of fried plantains was left on the prep table instead of stored in a cooler.
Inspectors also found that the dish machine’s sanitizer was not strong enough to disinfect, with the appliance originally “reading 0 ppm chlorine” before being fixed by an employee to read 100 ppm of chlorine.
A follow-up inspection for Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine was held the next day and saw the chain meet department standards.
Prime Meals, 12221 Pembroke Road
Routine inspection, 12 total violations, one high-priority violation
This Pembroke Pines prepared-meal delivery service had three live, flying insects around its mop’s sink area, an infraction DBPR noted is a repeat offense for Prime Meals.
An “accumulation of black substances buildup” crowded the prep station’s cutting boards and a serving of rice had no label to specify its “best by” date.
Less severe violation noted by DBPR include a container of gravy shelved in the cooler with no lid, food items stored on a walk-in cooler floor and holes dotting the kitchen walls.
A follow-up inspection is pending, though no additional assessments have taken place as of Dec. 9.
Infraction-free restaurants
Here are the local restaurants that aced their November 2025 inspections:
- Kentucky Fried Chicken, 1836 University Drive
- Papa John’s #992, 2008 N Flamingo Road
- Sunswept Inn, 1120 N University Drive
