A food week near Koreatown with flatbread and African plates

Start near Koreatown at Shah's Halal Food on Madison Avenue, where chicken shawarma and white sauce give the first order a clear job. For eaters comparing platters rather than collecting menus, choose shawarma before considering a burger. Continue east on foot to NYC Halal Delight on Second Avenue for chicken or gyro plates. This is a wider Manhattan pairing, not two doors on one block. Photograph the two orders, then decide which merits repeating.

A weighed plate is a sensible detour after Monday's counter platters. B&D Halal Food near Penn Station serves African stews and meats through a self-service buffet, useful for eaters who want several comparisons before choosing a favourite. Here, sample lamb, fish and chicken first in small portions, then decide what deserves more space. Photograph the spread before returning for seconds. The plate, rather than the entrance, has something to discuss.

After Tuesday's African buffet, Big Arc Chicken offers a narrower assignment: roasted chicken, grilled salmon or shish kebabs from an unassuming counter. The plate suits eaters who would rather compare a roast with yesterday's stews than debate the room. My vote is to start with roasted chicken before adding extras. Make the whole plate the photograph, not a close inspection of one garnish. Thursday brings steak; there is no prize for menu completion.

Thursday gives the higher-budget eater a Midtown steakhouse, not another bowl. Nusr-Et Steakhouse New York centers its menu on Lokum, the Nusr-Et Special and Tomahawk cuts, with tableside carving providing the theatre. My editorial choice is to ask about Lokum before ordering extras, then photograph the plate rather than treating the carving as the meal. Opinions on value are mixed. After Wednesday's counter, this is a deliberate splurge, not an automatic upgrade.

Regulars fill the tables at Turkish Cuisine on Ninth Avenue, where Middle Eastern influences include fresh pita and citrusy ezme. After Thursday's steakhouse carving, start with those two, then pick lamb chops over chicken chops; the latter can be dry. This is a table for eaters who enjoy an argument about an actual dish. Photograph bread and ezme before the plates crowd together. Complimentary extras are not the plan.

Saturday changes the room, not the interest in bread. HaSalon in Hell's Kitchen pairs Mediterranean food with a louder late-night party, which suits a group willing to make dinner the evening's project. For a food-focused comparison after Friday's Turkish plates, favour the early seating and house-made bread, then consider the lemon gnocchi. The bread is the first photograph. This is an expensive celebration rather than a quiet bargain; skip it if conversation needs a low volume.

Finish at B&D Halal #2 in Hell's Kitchen, where the hot bar serves West African and West Indian dishes by weight. For eaters weighing up one last comparison, begin with modest jollof rice and oxtail portions before exploring the wider steam table. After Saturday's celebration, plentiful seating makes a pause plausible. Photograph the two dishes together, then judge what deserves another spoonful. This Manhattan detour closes the week without relocating it to Koreatown.