A ramen restaurant in Miami’s Midtown district was forced to suspend operations last week following a health inspection that uncovered a series of critical sanitation violations. The establishment, Ichimi, located at 118 Buena Vista Blvd., remained closed for several days before successfully passing a follow-up inspection on Friday, allowing it to resume service for the weekend.
The inspection, conducted on Wednesday, identified 23 separate violations, three of which were classified as high-priority concerns. Among the most significant findings were evidence of rodent activity and a failure to maintain proper sanitization standards for dishwashing equipment. Inspectors reported that the restaurant’s dishwasher recorded zero parts per million of sanitizer, and the facility lacked the necessary chemical test kits to verify the effectiveness of cleaning agents used in sinks and on cleaning cloths.
Sanitation Failures and Rodent Activity
The inspection report detailed multiple instances of rodent droppings throughout the premises. Inspectors documented 18 droppings in a storage area for single-use items, 15 behind a freezer, and 10 behind a freezer located near a walk-in cooler. An additional 10 droppings were discovered in the room used to store alcohol. The report also noted a hole in a wall near the bathroom hallway, which officials identified as a potential entry point for pests.
Beyond the pest issues, the inspection revealed several other health code breaches. Inspectors found an accumulation of a substance resembling black or green mold inside the ice machine. Furthermore, the kitchen and food preparation areas were described as having dirty ceilings and ventilation hoods, with visible buildup of food debris, grease, dust, and mold-like substances. Standing water was also observed beneath a triple sink and a front-access refrigerator.
Operational Deficiencies and Reinspection
The restaurant was also cited for improper food storage practices, with employees observed keeping soy sauce and cooking oil directly on the floor near the dishwashing station. Additionally, the facility was found to be missing a handwashing sink near the front counter, as the plumbing had been removed.
During a follow-up inspection on Thursday, officials reported that rodent droppings were still present in several previously identified locations, including under the storage area for single-use items, near the alcohol storage room, and behind various freezers. This recent closure follows a history of similar inspection challenges for the brand; earlier in 2024, a separate Ichimi location in Coral Gables was cited after an inspector counted 500 cockroach droppings on the premises.
