Dobbs Ferry's Tomatillo Upgrades Menu

More than three years have passed since Owner/Founder David Starkey last changed Tomatillo's menu. The new, cleverly organized menu at the Dobbs Ferry restaurant displays items in different colors to make selecting dishes easier and quicker.

"Vegetarian items appear in green, seafood choices are shown in red and meat dishes are printed in orange," Starkey explained.

In addition to the color-coded menu, the weekend brunch menu is only weeks away from being expanded.

The color-coded menu provides a BYOB (Build Your Own Burrito) guide with a lengthly list of ingredients (chicken, turkey, steak, shrimp, squash, goat cheese and lots more) and a half-dozen sauce options. Depending on the ingredients desired, a typical BYOB burrito costs from $8.95 to $10.95.

Several new dishes also appear on the menu including a beet and spinach salad and the following burritos, each priced at $9.95:

• Sloppy Joe. Ground spicy bison, cheese, pintos, rice, sour cream, chipotle BBQ, flour tortilla
• Say Hey Kid. Seitan, onions, broccoli rabe, black beans, salsa roja, wheat tortilla
• Beet It. Beets, sauteed greens, goat cheese, black beans, rice, salsa verde, flour tortilla

The menu also includes starters, soup, salads, tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas, tortas and $6.95 kid's dishes.

Most popular dishes

The most ordered burritos (based on sales to date for this year), listed in order of popularity, are:

1. La Bandera. Grilled chicken, onions, peppers, guacamole, pintos, rice, tomatillo and BBQ, flour tortilla ($10.95)
2. Iron Man. Shirt steak, onions, pintos, rice, chipotle BBQ, flour tortilla ($10.95)
3. Green Machine. Spinach, guacamole, black beans, rice, tomatillo sauce, spinach tortilla ($9.95)
4. Brown Baggin' It. Grilled chicken, pinots, guacamole, spinach, tomatillo sauce, wheat tortilla ($10.95)

Two blackboards list daily food specials and a mini-blackboard displays the beer and beverage specials.

Many of the dishes are accompanied by Pica de Gallo, a salad-like salsa made from chopped tomato, onions, and cilantro.

Three of the Tomatillo's dishes are named after David and his wife Kitty's children:

• Happy Jack (black beans, rice, jack cheese, salsa verde, flour tortilla), named after 13-year-old son Jack ($7.95)
• Chili Willie (vegetarian chili, rice, cheese, sour cream, flour tortilla),  named after after 10-year-old son William ($8.95)
• Syd Fishus (Red Snapper, black beans, Mexican crema, salsa verde, flour tortilla), named after daughter Sydney, age 5 ($10.95)

The most popular of the desserts are Mexican custard with carmelized sugar, warm chocolate cake and homemade ice cream.

Starkey's favorite for his own dinner is Oxacan, a combination of grilled chicken, pintos, rice, jack cheese and mole sauce in a wheat tortilla, priced at $9.95.

Starkey will open a sister restaurant, also to be called Tomatillo, in Pleasantville, probably in December, 2012 or January, 2013.

A former news writer and producer for ABC, CBS, CNN and MSNBC, Starkey opened Tomatillo in February, 2004. He is a co-owner of Sweet Grass Grill, opened in April, 2009 in Tarrytown.

He was born and raised in New York City, graduated from Clark University in Worcester, MA, and is now a resident of Sleepy Hollow.

The Tomatillo logo was designed by Kitty Starkey, a creative director for Young & Rubicam.

Tomatillo opens its doors on Tuesday through Sunday at 11:30 a.m. The kitchen is available until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; it closes most weekday nights at 9:30 p.m. Closed on Monday.

Tomatillo has a seating capacity of 40 plus 10 more on the sidewalk. An unique feature is a wooden table for six that is fitted into the bar. The restaurant is located at 13 Cedar Street, Dobbs Ferry, 914-478-2300, www.mexchester.com