Chef Andrew Gruel, television personality and founder of Slapfish Restaurant Group, announces the launch of Two Birds and Butterleaf, two new exciting dining options in Orange County. Located in Irvine’s Trade Food Hall, the inventive concepts offer over-the-top twists on plant-based dishes and free-range chicken.
Created around the idea that simple is better, Two Birds serves farm-fresh Jidori chicken—free-range, natural grain fed, local chicken with diets free of steroids and hormones. With the option of ordering grilled or crispy chicken with their mouthwatering meal, guests indulge in the Bird in the Hand Sandwich, Bird in the Bush Salad, or a whimsical Bag of Chicken (two-, three-, or four-piece). No feast at Two Birds is complete without homemade sauce in the mix. Drench your bird in your choice of Tiger Sauce (creamy sriracha and garlic), Fry Sauce (puréed confit tomato), or Creamy Herb (kewpie mayo and crushed dill). The restaurant also serves comfort driven sides including overflowing Mac N’ Cheese, Cottage Fries, Salt & Vinegar Slaw, and Spicy Pickles.
Butterleaf celebrates the unsung glory of vegetables offering a satisfying bounty of fresh, plant-based options for omnivores and herbivores alike. It’s vegetarian food for non-vegetarians. With hearty dishes and sides including Signature Burgers made with sweet potatoes and black beans, Avocado Bombs, and Umami Chips, the brand seeks to prove that meatless meals aren’t any less filling or delicious. The menu also features build-your-own–style bowls and wraps with a revolving menu of ancient super grains (brown rice, quinoa, or freekah), homemade sauces (Citrus Honey, Tiger, Herb), and seasonally rotating vegetables. Working alongside local farmers including Melissa’s Produce, the team is dedicated to showcasing each season’s freshest ingredients from their own backyard.
Located in Trade, Southern California’s newest culinary destination, Chef Gruel pioneers the latest trend, food halls. As two of nine food vendors at Trade, Two Birds and Butterleaf complement the assortment of savory dining options and visionary restaurateurs the hall celebrates. Focusing on minimal ingredients and seemingly small menus, the variety of sauces and variations offered at both restaurants creates a versatile offering with a wide range of indulgent options.
After successfully transforming Slapfish from a food truck to an international seafood group, Chef Andrew Gruel realized the need for additional high-quality, casual restaurants in Orange County. Partnering with wife, Lauren Gruel, restaurant veteran, Brent Miller, and chief creative officer, Dr. John Wolanin, the team set out to create scalable, innovative concepts that take fast food to a fresher level. With plans to open up to 100 locations over the next 10 years, Gruel and his team look forward to expanding into food halls and airports worldwide, changing the fast-food game.
