Caesars Entertainment loves television chefs. I honestly tried to add them up but lost count, so let’s just say there are a lot of Gordon Ramsay, Lisa Vanderpump, Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, Buddy Valastro and Giada De Laurentiis restaurants in this town.
And apparently it works: Caesars’ latest announcement brings even more starry additions to the newly renamed (surprise) Celebrity Food Hall at Caesars Palace. The three new stalls include Tortazo by chef Rick Bayless, Buddy V’s Pizzeria and Mokbar by Esther Choi—which we are super thrilled about because we’re guessing and hoping it will lead to the sit-down restaurant it deserves.
First, Rick Bayless is bringing the fast-casual Tortazo. It’s quick Mexican food so expect street tacos, quesadillas, stuffed torta sandwiches (like the crispy chicken milanesa) and house-made churros.
Esther Choi’s Mokbar offers some tasty Korean dishes. We’re more surprised that it’s a takeaway joint because the atmosphere doesn’t suit the food but it’s definitely worth the visit to tuck into a bulgogi bowl, some pan-fried dumplings and some real KFC—that’s Korean fried chicken, dubbed K-pop chicken on the menu.
The third addition is Buddy V’s Pizzeria, an East Coast-style stand from Buddy Valastro that serves everything from sausage, egg and cheese sandwiches for breakfast to pizzas and roast beef sandwiches.
Do we wish that Caesars was branching out to wrangle in new concepts or seeking out rising chefs? Absolutely. But these three are certainly worth getting excited about in the meantime.