REVIEW: Embrace the Arak at Mosaic Canteen for the 2020 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

Alicia

REVIEW: Embrace the Arak at Mosaic Canteen for the 2020 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

One of our favorite things to do while in the Moroccan pavilion is staring at the gorgeous mosaic art! So, it’s fitting that the food studio in Morocco for the 2020 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts would be named the Mosaic Canteen. Let’s see if the food lives up to the art form!

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Menu for Mosaic Canteen at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

Food:

  • Spiced Beef with Pine Nuts and Dried Cherries, Hummus and Pita Chips – $9.00
  • Mediterranean Flatbread with Zaatar, Olive Oil Artichoke, Olives, Mozzarella and Feta Cheese – $9.00
  • Chebbakia: Hand-twisted Strips of Fried Dough coated with Honey, Rosewater and Sesame Seeds – $6.00

Beverages:

  • Casa Beer (5.0% ABV) – $4.50
  • 🆕 Kabash Prestige White Wine ($5/bottle) – $6.00
  • Embrace the Arak: El Massaya Arak ($25/bottle), Grapefruit Juice and Grenadine – $8.00

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Mosaic Canteen
Offerings from Mosaic Canteen at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

Photos of Menu Items from Mosaic Canteen at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

Spiced Beef with Pine Nuts and Dried Cherries, Hummus and Pita Chips – $9.00

Hummus Trifle: Layered Hummus topped with Spiced Beef, Pine Nuts and Dry Cherries, served with Pita Chips $9.00
Spiced Beef with Pine Nuts and Dried Cherries, Hummus and Pita Chips – $9.00

The layered hummus was quite good, especially when dipping the pita chips into the mixture. Unfortunately, you only receive a small portion of pita chips, leaving the rest of the layered hummus to be eaten by finger or fork. It’s about $2 overpriced, but even then there’s nothing amazing you’re missing if you skip this item.

Mediterranean Flatbread with Zaatar, Olive Oil Artichoke, Olives, Mozzarella and Feta Cheese – $9.00

Mediterranean Flat Bread with Zaatar, Olive Oil Artichoke, Olives, Mozzarella and Feta Cheese $8.00
Mediterranean Flatbread with Zaatar, Olive Oil Artichoke, Olives, Mozzarella and Feta Cheese – $9.00

Eight dollars gets you half a quick service flatbread loaded with vegetables including tomatoes and olives. This flatbread was good, especially with the folks in our group who enjoy vegetables, but there were many olives involved giving it a Mediterranean flare in the majority of our opinions. We’re unsure how to justify the price if this was a full flatbread, though.

Chebbakia: Hand-twisted Strips of Fried Dough coated with Honey, Rosewater and Sesame Seeds – $6.00

Chebbakia: Hand-twisted Strips of Fried Dough coated with Honey, Rosewater and Sesame Seeds $7.00
Chebbakia: Hand-twisted Strips of Fried Dough coated with Honey, Rosewater and Sesame Seeds – $6.00

These are being hand-made in the food studio, which is a welcome change from past festivals where the Morocco dishes are prepared in the kitchens and brought outside to stay warm. We expected a crunchy dessert, but were greeted with a soft, gooey texture that honestly didn’t work well. Not to mention the item is a bit unfortunate looking.

Casa Beer (5.0% ABV) – $4.50

Nomadic Distribution describes Casa Beer as having an aroma of “light musk and hints of sweetness,” with a taste of “malts and nuts. Crisp and slightly dry. Pleasant, sweet undertones that [linger] on the tongue.”

Kabash Prestige White Wine ($5/bottle) – $6.00

Michael Van Rooyen on Vivino describes the wine as “medium dry” and an “easy drinking wine,” while MissGnomer said the wine offers “pale citrus flavors and minerals on the palette. Short finish. Some herbal and citrus nose with hints of resin and coriander.”

Embrace the Arak: El Massaya Arak ($25/bottle), Grapefruit Juice and Grenadine – $8.00

Embrace the Arak: Massaya Arak, Grapefruit Juice and Grenadine $8.00
Embrace the Arak: El Massaya Arak, Grapefruit Juice and Grenadine – $8.00

AbracadaBar has their absinthe, Morocco has Embrace the Arak. Similar taste across the board: heavy licorice, lengthy aftertaste. It’s one of the most undrinkable items we’ve had in recent years at Epcot festivals. Not recommended.

Location of Mosaic Canteen at the EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

Mosaic Canteen is located right next to the Morocco pavilion in World Showcase. You can find it at number 16 on the map below.

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What did you think of the Mosaic Canteen? Sound off in the comments below!