Happy Boy is a special place located in Royal Oak, Auckland. They offer some of the best burgers I have had and when I used to live nearby, I loved eating here.
You can pick between the typical brioche burger buns or soft and fluffy bao buns. There are five protein choices: beef patty, fried chicken, pork belly, sesame-crusted tofu and turmeric fried fish - my two favourites are the fried chicken and sesame-crusted tofu.
Pictured above is their famous Chinese-style Pork Belly burger, with garlic mayo, pickled mustard greens, coriander and crushed peanuts. The pork belly is so soft and juicy, it is unusual from your usual burgers so when you get a chance to visit Happy Boy, make sure to try it.
It is quite rare for me to pick tofu over meat-based proteins but Happy Boy's sesame-crusted tofu patty is crunchy, flavourful and just amazing.
Don't forget their slushies as well - watermelon is my favourite flavour (pictured above, left). In addition, they are also well-known for their customisable waffles - if you want to make it sweet, pick ice cream and maybe a chocolate drizzle? If you are feeling something a little savoury also, how about a juicy, deep-fried chicken thigh?
There are many options to choose from, such as maple syrup, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, ice cream, bacon, fried chicken thigh and much more... Check out their menu on their website.
You will also have a hard time picking from their sharing dishes - my personal favourites are the Free-Range Popcorn Chicken and Spicy Tofu and Eggplant.
When you drive past Happy Boy, you will instantly recognise its unique neon vibe, packed with diners eating great food and drinks. Not only it is your casual go-to for dinner but Happy Boy is also a cool place to catch up with friends over drinks.
From your usual go-to beers and wines, you can also try cocktails that go perfectly with everything on the menu.
Oh yea, I also love their Tumeric Fried Fish Burger. This fish-of-the-day fillet is fresh and freshly fried - comes with tamarind chilli sauce, smokey chilli mayo and fried shallots.
How about making your way down to Happy Boy next time?
Make sure to add their pork belly burger to your list so you don't forget to order it.
Follow them on Instagram: @happyboyeatery.
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Founder & Editor | Say (Seowon) Song
I run Caramel, a restaurant creative agency with the biggest portfolio in New Zealand, helping restaurants grow by providing creative and technological solutions. In addition, I manage a few restaurants more hands-on.
Instagram: @forkandtruffle
Email: say@caramel.co.nz