Restaurants in Concord

When you first walk into Krazy Fish, it’s apparent that the restaurant’s staff has had some fun with its moniker. Murals of giant sea creatures colorize the walls, and mannequins swim in green-tinsel seaweed and reefs of faux-pearl necklaces. But, like Charlotte magazine says, “as soon as you’re sipping the restaurant’s icy hibiscus, ginger, and honey agua fresca or digging into the tender, citrus-flavored ceviche appetizer, you’ll barely noticed [sic] the odd plastic fish hanging above your table.”

Krazy Fish’s eclectic menu teems with fresh seafood, southern-inspired comfort fare, and bowls of Asian noodles. Former Fat City Deli owner KC Terry mans the kitchen, infusing catfish with spicy wasabi and sprinkling pan-seared swai with cilantro grown in his backyard garden. Seven types of salsas enliven the tacos, including the papaya-and-mango tropical salsa. Nautical ropes line the edges of a wooden tiki bar where guests sip Thai iced coffee, and an outdoor patio makes for the ideal spot to soak up the sun or angrily shake your fist at the moon.

Walls dappled with blue, coral, and gold make for a festive atmosphere at Aquavina, where artists' abstracted takes on ancient canoes dangle from the ceiling over table linens topped with seafood, chops, and steaks. Chefs determine meat temperatures according to a precisely gauged chromatic system, so diners can know exactly how red, pink, gray, or paisley their filet mignon's center will be. Alternately, indulge in seafood entrees such as ahi tuna, lobster tails, or salmon doused in citrus beurre blanc. The restaurant’s multiple dining rooms glow with color, and an outdoor patio seats up to 100 guests reassured by the sight of the nation’s extensive fresh air reserves.

A hash-brown breakfast may not initially entice the health-conscious diner. But consider: at Zada Jane’s, chefs cook up locally procured sweet potatoes, top them with free-range eggs, and serve them with Grateful Growers’ additive-free pork sausage. Like many of Zada Jane’s entrees, this locally sourced breakfast toes the line between wholesome and indulgent, and it has earned nods from Charlotte magazine.

Zada Jane’s commitment to wholesome dining extends to the dining room itself, which is entirely smoke-free. After clearing plates and exhausting the peek-a-boo potential of napkins, dining companions can burn off meals at the shuffleboard courts out front.

There’s nothing more quintessentially Irish than Guinness beer, a fact not lost on the chefs at Fitzgerald’s Irish Pub. Led by Deacon Ovall, recently featured on Fox Charlotte's Chef Spotlight, the kitchen staff pairs house-cured corned beef and cabbage with Guinness au jus, smothers flank-steak shepherd's pie with Guinness gravy, and batters fried cod fillets in Guinness batter. But the menu is nothing if not multifaceted, with offerings ranging from traditional Irish eats and hearty half-pound Black Angus burgers to nearly a dozen freshly tossed salads.

Diners can pair their upscale pub eats with a hearty selection of pours. Four of the eight draft beers on tap hail from Ireland itself, and the servers also mix up "Lucktinis," including the Spiced Leprechaun made with Bacardi Oakheart, sour-apple Schnapps, and pineapple juice. Big-screen TVs dazzle eyes as flights of Irish whiskey tantalize tongues. Every Wednesday at 9 p.m., rounds of trivia keep brains from forgetting little-known factoids, such as the name of George Washington’s least-favorite fruit.

Chefs at Romano's toss handmade dough into pizzas with more than 15 toppings. Guests can choose a thick Sicilian crust or opt for a New York style pie, whose foldable shape allows it to be served as a convenient origami crane. More exotic ingredients such as Alfredo sauce, feta cheese, and hamburger meat top specialty pies, and chefs also cook classic entrees such as chicken piccata. Romano's rounds out its menu with regular or whole-wheat pastas, subs served in hoagie buns, and half a dozen desserts including cannoli and italian spumoni.