Monday, June 12, 2017

Happy as a Lark at Two Birds - CLOSED


Two Birds
2222 Michelson Dr. 
Irvine, CA 92612

Food halls are all the rage right now, and Orange County has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to them. I think it started with 4th Street Market in Santa Ana and kind of exploded from there. Union Market in Irvine and Mission Viejo, McFadden Public Market in Santa Ana, Pacific City in HB, the always-crowded Anaheim Packing House, and now Trade in Irvine are barraged by hungry patrons.

Food halls seem like the perfect spot to try out a new concept. The rents are generally lower, and you definitely get a lot of foot traffic. With the younger demographic that usually inhabits these places, you get lots of exposure on Instagram and other social media outlets. It also seems like concepts that populate food hall stands are much more adventurous about their peddling products.

My love for Slapfish is pretty well known. I suggest it to anyone who wants to have delicious seafood at a reasonable price. I was excited to learn that Chef Andrew Gruel, the man behind Slapfish, was opening two concepts at the newly opened Trade Food Hall. One is the veggie-based Butterleaf, which Chef Andrew has described as plant-based food for people who love to eat. With this concept, he wants people to know you can get a hearty meal without meat, leaving them satisfied and full. I'll try it next time I'm here, but I was all about Chef Andrew's other stall at Trade, Two Birds, on this visit.

Two Birds is tucked behind the Central Hub Bar, which is to the right of the main dining area of Trade. Once you find this stall, you will be met by an uncomplicated menu. You choose between either crispy or grilled chicken, then pick whether you want the poultry in a salad or as a sandwich and if you want a double or single serving. Two Birds uses Jidori chicken, which I had just heard of coming here. Jidori is a locally raised chicken that is free-range and is fed a vegetarian diet without using antibiotics. This type of chicken is prevalent in Japan but gaining popularity in the US. We quickly ordered and found ourselves a table nearby to wait patiently for our food to find its way out to us.




I was also in awe when this Double Bird In the Hand Sandwich ($13) came out. My first thought was, how will I put my mouth around this to answer that question? I took out one of the chicken pieces to make it more manageable. This simply dressed sandwich came with crunchy slaw and tiger sauce, a mildly peppery and tangy concoction that goes well with the perfectly done chicken. The chicken was very clean tasting, not as greasy as I expected, and had a nice crunch around its large surface. The bun did a great job staying together with all the heft going on in between its buns. It is one of the best chicken sandwiches I have had.



I have a natural affinity for cottage fries, so when I saw them on the menu at Two Birds, I knew we had to try them. These Cheesy Cottage Fries ($5) were loaded with a few cubes of pork, a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese, and a smooth cheese sauce that reminded me of a bechamel, or at least that's the vibe I got. The cottage fries did get a little soggy near the end as the sauce settled down near the bottom of the bowl, but that's to be expected. The first half of this was on point. I might get this again with the cheese sauce on the side next time.

I'm usually not one to order chicken when I'm out to eat, but that sandwich from Two Birds will be hard to resist when I return to the Trade Food Hall. That's saying something with all the other options there. It's safe to say that Chef Andrew has another winner on his hands with this concept. I used to think it was crazy to create a chicken-focused concept, but with the success of Raising Cane's and the surprising longevity of KFC and their awful chicken, I can admit when I am wrong. Two Birds might have a fundamental menu, but if you are looking for one of the best chicken sandwiches you will encounter, you need to head to Two Birds very soon.

Out of five volcanos (because there's a 2008 Icelandic short film titled Two Birds, Iceland has many active volcanos), five being best to zero being worst, Two Birds gets 3.5 volcanos.

For more information about Two Birds, check out their website here: http://www.twobirdsrestaurant.com/

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