Although restaurants on 50th to 52nd Street stretch only two blocks on both the east and west side of Manhattan, the number of restaurants are numerous and offer a variety of cultural cuisines. The menus offer a diverse list of food and drinks for customers to choose from, and for those who want to try a different ethnic dish for the first time, these are the restaurants to venture into.

The restaurant serves American cuisine and features a Grand Award winning wine list. The à la carte menu includes: caviar, assorted shellfish, appetizers such as soup and mixed green salads, and a main course of lobster, filet mignon, salmon and chicken. The prix fixe menu features an appetizer with choices of soup, salad, fruit or calamari, a main course of salmon, pork, risotto or grilled chicken and a choice of pastries for dessert.

21 Club 21 West 52nd Street New York, NY 10019 212-582-7200 orientexpress.com

The restaurant serves an array of exotic Afghani dishes. Customers may choose from the entree list of fried pumpkin turnovers seasoned with herbs, lamb with basmati rice, chicken marinated in spices or boiled leek dumplings topped with yogurt. In addition, customers have an option of a vegetarian dish served with rice, salad and bread. Appetizers include vegetable and ground beef dumplings and salads. Red and white wines are served.

Ariana Afghan Kebab House 787 9th Avenue New York, NY 10019 212-262-2323 ariananyc.com

The happy hour beverages include: martinis with fruits such as lychees and pineapples, vodkas with cucumber slices, margaritas on the rocks or chilled with lime, and international imported beer. Customers may also choose a glass of red or white wine. The lounge specials feature fried chicken--wings, drumsticks or a combination--seasoned with natural sauces or sesame honey chili glaze and Korean tacos--a choice of beef, chicken or pork--served with corn tortilla chips and guacamole or Asian pico de gallo dip.

Bann Restaurant 350 West 50th Street New York, NY 10019 Bannrestaurant.com 212-582-4446

This Indian restaurant provides a lunch, dinner, tasting and vegetarian menu with assorted dishes. Examples of appetizers are mixed green salads, stuffed mushrooms and rice and bean cakes. Sample main courses are: Indian cheese patties with tomato sauce, tandoori grilled halibut marinated in cilantro, tandoori chicken marinated in spicy yogurt and apricot stuffed lamb fillets. The list of red and white wines is extensive, which comes from California, Europe, Africa, Australia and Latin America.

Amma 246 East 51st Street New York, NY 10022 212-644-8330 ammanyc.com

This Mexican restaurant’s main menu is simple and includes the burrito, tacos and salad. Customers may choose from a selection to come with the meal: black beans, braised pork, adobo-marinated chicken or steak, guacamole, salsa and cheese or sour cream. The website mentions that no nuts of any kinds are added to the food, and customers who want to avoid gluten in their food may eat just about anything on the menu except for the flour tortillas and the red tomatillo salsa.

Chipotle 320 Park Avenue New York, NY 10020 212-754-3098 chipotle.com

The Ethos restaurant on 51st Street offers a list of featured dishes, which includes stuffed squid with Greek cheese, grilled baby octopus seasoned with Greek spices, olive oil and red wine vinegar, Mediterranean fish, baby lamb chops or baked lamb, and jumbo shrimp sautéed in tomatoes, scallions, mushrooms, herbs and feta cheese. Beverage options are soda, mineral, sparkling or bottled water.

Ethos 905 1st Avenue New York, NY 10022 212-888-4060 ethosrestaurants.com