Hidden on an inconspicuous street in Spring Hill, you may recall a Japanese restaurant, Little Tokyo. Sadly the Brisbane institution recently closed its doors, allowing the building a long-needed makeover. While the lower side has been taken over by collaborative co-working space Little Tokyo Two, set to open in the coming weeks, the upper side is now home to a new restaurant – Happy Boy.

After coming home from his travels through China, Happy Boy owner Jordan Votan was often unhappy with the choice of Chinese meals he had access to in Brisbane. Most restaurants, while delicious, have restricted their menus to the Western-style Chinese that we have become accustomed to – but after tasting the diverse flavours of regional Chinese dishes, Jordan found the Westernised cuisine leaving him wanting more. With a desire to bring those interesting flavours to the mouths of Brisbane locals (and his own, of course), Jordan created Happy Boy.

Tonight, October 30, will see Happy Boy open its doors to the public for the first time, running just the dinner menu for the weekend. Come Monday November 3, the restaurant will also be serving up a simplified version of its dinner menu every day at lunchtime, available from 11:00 am. The coming months will hopefully also see the introduction of traditional breakfasts with Chinese flavours. Jordan has brought in chef Ken Lau, who, while young, has worked in acclaimed restaurants throughout Hong Kong for the past ten years. His menu lends itself to sharing, offering up dishes from provinces across China including Xinjiang, Canton and Sìchuān. Highlights include the fish slice drowned in chilli broth, Xinjiang-style lamb with cumin, and Re Gan Mian – Wuhan-style ‘hot dry noodles’.

Another difference from your regular Chinese local? Happy Boy has a killer wine list. Jordan has identified that most Chinese restaurants in Brisbane are BYO, meaning that a lot of the time we end up taking the wrong kind of wine with us to accompany our meals. Happy Boy will pair its wine list to match the dishes on offer, with a selection of light reds and dry whites to cut through and complement the bold flavours of the regional dishes. The bar will also serve beer and spirits, including Asian-inspired delights such as green tea whisky.

For contact information and trading hours, check out our Stumble Guide.