OPENINGS: Look for the Gratitude Coffee truck to go brick and mortar in College Park ... Korean fried chicken chain Bonchon will open its second area location in Waterford Lakes by the end of the month ... Manny's Original Chophouse will open in the old Lago space in Baldwin Park later next month ... In Winter Garden, Morthan Cheese (specializing in raclette cheese wheels from France and Switzerland) has opened in the Plant Street Market, and Crooked Can Brewing Co. has expanded with the opening of their Barrel Room, a more intimate gathering space ... Puerto Rico-based chain Meson Sandwiches opens April 21 at Lee Vista Promenade, near the Orlando International Airport ... New Jersey-based Frutta Bowls, billing itself as the "newest wave of health food revolution centers around the açai berry," will open its first Florida location this spring in the old Kmart Plaza in Winter Park ... California Tortilla has opened its third Florida location on Church Street downtown ... Stir Restaurant & Bar is now in soft opening mode in the space that recently housed Nova in Ivanhoe Village ... 1803 Pizza Kitchen has opened for business in the old O'Stromboli space in Audubon Park.
EVENTS: On Easter Sunday, Dragonfly will serve an unlimited izakaya lunch with live chefs' stations. Cost is $39 ($19 for kids 5-12) ... Morimoto Asia will be decked out in pink cherry blossoms during their month-long Sakura Festival, which runs through April 15. The restaurant will hold a series of special events, most notable of which will be the guest chef dinner with Hitoshi Sugiura, executive chef of Tokyo's PATINASTELLA, who'll cook alongside Morimoto Asia's Yuhi Fujinaga and chef de cuisine (and Top Chef Season 3 winner) Hung Huynh on April 3. Cost is $120 ... Master Sommelier Laura DePasquale hosts a Bordeaux wine dinner at Norman's Orlando, April 7 at 7 p.m. ... On April 10 and 11, Cress Restaurant stages the Flavors of Peru, a two-night event featuring four courses of traditional and modern Peruvian fare. Cost is $60 ... Top Chef Season 13 winner Jeremy Ford is the latest celeb to sign on for Beard in Baldwin, the grand gastronomic showcase put on by Jason and Sue Chin, April 14. Tickets are $110; $175 VIP. Visit beardinbaldwin.com for more.
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