There’s a new breed of waiter emerging in the restaurant scene. I like to call it the aloof, arrogant, I’m-so-cool-you-should-be-grateful-to-be-in-my-presence hipster with more attitude than Bernard Tomic on a tennis court.

This was our waiter at the new Fortitude Valley incarnation of the former Spring Hill favourite, Happy Boy.

Owners Cameron and Jordan Votan have moved their Chinese eatery to the space previously occupied by Aunty Oh. Going with a minimalist vibe, it feels a bit clinical with painted white concrete walls, polished concrete floors and Scandi furniture. Perhaps our waiter thought his patronising attitude was justified in the austere surrounds.

It’s a pity, because a return visit revealed a friendly team, well-versed in the regional cuisine that fills the menu and across the tight but smart drinks list. They provided the type of informed service Happy Boy has become known for, without the ego of our first waiter.

Dishes span from the delicate, like the soft pork and prawn dumplings in a sweet, vinegar-spiked chilli oil, to the commanding braised beef stew, bountiful with hunks of tender brisket in a complex broth.

The drowned fish is seemingly infinite, with pieces of firm-fleshed fish in a thin, sweet-sour-spicy soup. The beef chow ho fun is far above most Chinese takeaways – the slippery flat rice noodles and beef strips punchy with soy and a hint of sesame.

And for sweet and sour pork lovers, there’s the gong bao chicken with a sticky sauce coating tender bites of chicken, zucchini and cashews – made even better with a side of the house fried rice, generous with duck pieces.

In fact, there’s a generosity to all the keenly priced dishes at Happy Boy, making it worthy of many a return visit – provided you get the right waiter.