Introduction to Happy Go Lucky
The team behind The Burger Joint has a new way to make summer in Houston a little cooler. Restaurateur Shawn Bermudez and chef Matthew Pak will unveil their new shaved ice and frozen cocktails concept. Located next to The Taco Stand at 2102 N. Shepherd Drive in the Heights, Happy Go Lucky will serve Hawaiian-style shaved ice, frozen cocktails, and desserts that combine the shaved ice and frozen cocktails.
Concept and Inspiration
Happy Go Lucky evolved out of Bermudez’s desire to find a use for a building on the property he acquired to provide additional parking for The Burger Joint, The Taco Stand, and The Pizza Place. Bermudez tells that both he and Pak had interest in a dessert concept. When Pak sampled shaved ice during a trip to Hawaii with his family, Happy Go Lucky’s direction became clear. Pak created eight flavors of shaved ice that diners may order, including the Coco Loco, Bomb Pop, Mangoada, and Strawberry Delight.
Menu and Offerings
Diners can also build-their-own from a roster of 17 flavored syrups, two ice creams that are made for Happy Go Lucky by Amy’s Ice Creams, eight toppings, and five drizzles. Realizing that the necessary equipment for making shaved ice wouldn’t take up that much space, Bermudez made the decision to add frozen cocktails. The menu includes staples such as a margarita, strawberry daiquiri, pina colada, and frosé. It’s also possible to mix two together when they’re made in the same machine, such as the Miami Vice or the Cherry Berry Bomb.
Unique Features
What sets Happy Go Lucky apart is the use of premium spirits and fresh purees for the fruit element, as opposed to syrups. Bermudez and Pak teamed up to create six drinks that combined a frozen cocktail base with a shaved ice topping. For example, the Very Pina Colada is a frozen pina colada topped with blue raspberry and pineapple shaved ice. The Island Dream takes the Miami Vice and tops it with passion fruit and pineapple shaved ice.
Future Plans
Once Pak has Happy Go Lucky dialed in, he’ll turn his attention to opening the Montrose location of The Taco Stand. With employees already hired and training at the restaurant’s locations in the Heights and Webster, it should be ready in July. From there, Bermudez and Pak will turn their attention to opening The Burger Joint’s new location on Kirby Drive and the twin Burger Joint/Taco Stand coming to Gessner Road in Spring Branch. All of that growth of the two existing restaurants pushed back The Pizza Place to next year.
Conclusion
Happy Go Lucky is a unique and exciting new concept that is sure to make summer in Houston a little cooler. With its Hawaiian-style shaved ice, frozen cocktails, and desserts, it’s a must-visit destination for teens and adults alike. Happy Go Lucky’s hour of operations are 12-10 pm daily, and it offers dine-in, to-go, and drive-thru service. Whether you’re looking for a sweet treat or a cool drink, Happy Go Lucky has something for everyone.
