Thoa’s made a nearly seamless transition from an upscale Hawaiian restaurant to an upscale Vietnamese restaurant. (You can’t say that about many places.) It was almost a little too seamless, maybe, as many patrons have yet to wean themselves off the teriyaki burgers that are still offered at happy hour.

That’s a shame, because Thoa’s modern take on Vietnamese includes some lesser-known dishes and some great fusion dishes, like the Vietnamese version of steak frites, with steak, onions, bell peppers, and fries happily co-mingling.

If you can avoid Thoa’s experiments, like “summer rolls” laced with mango or chile-lime dipping sauce, you can find some more focused food here: lemongrass Penn Cove clams, very competent banh mi, green papaya salad, and pho, although even these things can sometimes sport unfamiliar herbs like flat chives or Vietnamese coriander (all helpfully defined in the menu’s glossary).

The restaurant still has a vague islander theme, sort of upscale tiki with a few Vietnamese cues thrown in. Too bad it just barely misses out on a great water view. It’s a pleasant place to dine, but be aware that the bar area, which fills up for happy hour, can feel a bit too young and raucous for an evening meal.