Menu Description: "Lean shaved Philly steak folded into a grilled tortilla roll with Monterey Jack and Cheddar, sauteed mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, bacon and jalapenos."

With the acquisition of 13 Rio Bravo cantinas in 1994, Applebee's made its move into the competitive "Mexican casual dining sector." Perhaps it's the company's interest in Mexican food that inspired this Philadelphia-Tijuana hybrid sandwich. The steak, cheese, mushrooms, and onions give the sandwich a Philly taste, while the tomatoes, bacon, jalapenos, and the tortilla take you across the border.

I really like this newer addition to the menu, probably because I'm a big cheese-steak fan who also loves Mexican food. As you can see from this dish, Applebee's has a knack for breathing new life into old sandwich concepts. I hope you'll find this one worth a try.

You shouldn't have any trouble locating the ingredients, except maybe the cilantro. It's becoming very popular so hopefully it will be easy to find. Just look in the produce section near the parsley, where it might also be called fresh coriander or Chinese parsley not to be confused with Italian parsley.

If you want to make a "lite" version, refer to the "Tidbits" at the bottom of the recipe.