On the heels of celebrating Moulin’s fifth anniversary and his soon-to-open fourth location at Costa Mesa’s SOCO this month, Proprietor Laurent Vrignaud unveils two additional Orange County locations set to open early next year. His award-winning French restaurant will expand into Dana Point and Irvine in early 2020.
Named, the 2019 Restaurateur of the Year by the Orange County Business Journal, Laurent will have opened a total of six Moulin restaurants and an antique store in Orange County since the brand’s inception in September 2014, with the additions of his new locations in Dana Point and Irvine. On September 25, Moulin also celebrated 5 years since its flagship location opened in Newport Beach.
“People always ask me how many stores I plan to build. The truth is, I’m not sure. But right now, I’ll continue to expand within the community that has supported my dream for the last five years,” comments Laurent Vrignaud who opened two Moulin locations and an antique store this year. “The French in me is content, but the American in me is in constant pursuit of this American Dream. I love the hustle and the challenge that exists in finding the balance to scale in a way that preserves and supports the integrity and personality of the Moulin brand.”
Moulin’s new concept Moulin in the Box is set to open this winter in Irvine. Located within Irvine’s Corporate Park, the restaurant will operate out of a 480-square-foot container retrofitted to mirror the display counter at Moulin. Designed to be a Parisian oasis for Corporate Park business patrons, Moulin in the Box will offer plenty of seating on its 2500-square-foot landscaped patio, complete with a fountain, trees, and the brand’s signature bistro tables, Maison Gatti chairs, and red umbrellas. The location will serve grab-and-go favorites including Moulin’s crepes, paninis, salads, patisserie classics and coffee & espresso beverages.
Much like its flagship location in Newport Beach, Moulin in Dana Point will offer the full Moulin menu complete with rotisserie chicken, omelets, and steak frites. The 1600-square-foot space will include 30 seats inside and 70 seats on its patio. Located on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Niguel Road, Moulin in Dana Point is set to open in March 2020.
Laurent created Moulin to deliver an all-encompassing French experience. The new locations in Irvine and Dana Point will be filled with the original metal plaques, light fixtures, and framed French art – all collected by Laurent from France — that have become synonymous with the Moulin brand.
Moulin in Dana Point (2 Ritz Carlton Dr.) will be open daily from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Moulin in the Box (75 Corporate Park) will be open weekdays from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. For more information, please visit: www.moulin.com or connect with @moulin on Instagram for behind-the-scenes updates.
About Moulin
Since opening its doors in September 2014, Moulin has been delighting guests with its authentic French foods and culture. Born and raised in Montmartre, Paris, Laurent Vrignaud created Moulin out of his love for the French bistro culture he has missed since moving to California in the 1980s. From the moment you step inside, Moulin transports you to France with the smell of fresh artisan bread, the sight of fresh chickens turning in the rotisserie and the sound of people speaking French. Open seven days a week, Moulin serves breakfast, fresh-baked bread, viennoiserie, and artisan pastries, rotisserie chicken, charcuterie and cheese plates, French wine and beer, and the most beloved dishes served across the country. In addition to its soon-to-open stores in Irvine and Dana Point, Moulin has locations in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, San Clemente, and Costa Mesa as well as antique store adjacent to its flagship location in Newport Beach.
