Discreet toast at Dubai Expo, the first in a Muslim country

Have a cold beer while visiting the pavilions of the Dubai Expo, where temperatures reach 40 degrees, or taste the typical concoctions of the invited countries is possible in the first universal exhibition that takes place in a Muslim country. Of course, with great discretion and at a high price.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) has not put a limit on the sale of alcohol in the Expo2020 site, but as in the rest of the country, its sale and consumption have to be kept away from prying eyes and the pavilions have located their bars and restaurants in corners that they are not in public view.

A high price

The Chilean restaurant, which occupies the back of the pavilion and is separated from the main exhibition space, offers its star wine Casillero del Diablo, among others from lesser-known wineries that include whites and sparkling wines, with prices ranging between 150 and 400 Emirati dirhams per bottle (between US $ 40 and US $ 110).

“Taxes on alcohol are high. Among those imported and sold, they exceed 100% ”, Chilean chef Francisco Araya, a resident of the UAE for years, assures Efe.

However, its clientele is mainly foreign and for the moment “the response from the public is good. Customers repeat ”, he assures.

Meanwhile, in the Spanish pavilion, the restaurant is located at the exit of the route and has a terrace protected by flowerpots with plants that give a certain privacy, while the bar is located inside.

“Our sangria is having a lot of success, word has already spread at the Expo” that it is served in the Spanish pavilion, Joan Valera, the restaurant’s bartender, tells Efe in front of a row of jugs.

The most typical drink in Spain sells for 310 dirhams per liter (US $ 84 or 73 euros) and reaches 460 dirhams (US $ 125 or 108 euros) when it is made with cava. The menu also includes draft beer, more than 17 varieties of wine -including Jerez and cavas-, and a wide range of cocktails and mixed drinks.

Valera admits that “the local population does not usually consume alcohol and it is foreigners who demand it the most.”

Not just drinks

The Spanish pavilion, managed by Acción Cultural Española (AC / E) -the public company responsible for the presence of Spain in the Expos-, plans to open shortly a gourmet restaurant with a more select gastronomic offer, on one of the upper floors of the enclosure.

Gastronomy is an important aspect of this Expo2020, under the slogan “Connecting minds, creating the future”, which was inaugurated on October 1 with a one-year delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The restaurant in the Peru pavilion, which will open at the end of October, will be attended by a dozen chefs who will offer culinary demonstrations and a “pisco bar” where you can taste this popular brandy.

“Obtaining the license to sell alcohol is not a problem, if all the requirements are met,” explains Sofía Sanguinetti, spokesperson for the Peruvian pavilion. “In our case, we have received full support from the Expo,” he says, noting that the process is streamlined when the organization’s official suppliers are used.

Other pavilions that serve alcohol are those of France, Portugal or Belgium, with premises located on the upper floors, in a discreet location. Meanwhile, others like Uruguay have chosen not to sell alcoholic beverages, but the one in the South American country offers a free wine tasting at fixed times.

Leisure for all

One of the liveliest places is the Irish village, a large outdoor terrace located in a fenced compound next to the Irish pavilion, where there is folk music every night and a constant sway of waiters with trays of mugs of the iconic Guiness beer.

“We work at an intense pace” admits Karl O’Hara, head of the venue with a capacity for 300 people and more than 40 employees, who serve the public daily until 11:30 p.m. local time (19:30 GMT) except on Thursdays and Friday, weekend in UAE, when hours are extended until 01:30 (21:30 GMT).

Leisure is thought on many occasions not only for visitors but also for Expo workers -more than 30,000 and mostly foreigners-, who reside in the nearby Villa Expo and will do so until March 31, when the event ends. great international event.

The Expo will have ended by the time the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins, in April 2022, a period in which more restrictions are imposed on acquiring and consuming alcohol, and during which the faithful must refrain from drinking even water during daylight hours. .