True to its name, The Moxy Grill (6 Pleasant St., 603/229-0072, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Mon.–Thurs. and Sun.; 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Fri.–Sat., $7–18) serves a tasty menu with a dash of chutzpah—think New England classics tweaked with Asian flavors. The pork loin comes glazed with apple-pepper sauce; the bouillabaisse is full of local seafood and spiked with ginger-carrot essence. The room sports a little bit of attitude as well, with bright art splashed on the walls and a genuinely charming waitstaff.

No-frills but quite good Thai is whipped up in the kitchen at Siam Orchid (158 N. Main St., 603/228-1529 or 603/228-3633, www.siamorchid.net, $8–16), where you can sample light-as-a-feather fried squid rings in sesame sauce and shrimp with mango curry.

The erstwhile town police station is the setting for quirky Mexican dinners at Margaritas (1 Bicentennial Sq., 603/224-2821, www.margs.com/concord, 4 p.m.–midnight; open until 1 a.m. Wed.–Sat., $7–12), one in a chain of New England Mexican eateries. Between the al fresco dining out back and the converted prison cells inside (that now double as dining areas), the place is a kick.