By Mae Gianina Cabalida-Pascual
Manila, August 7, 2026 — When No Entry Cocktail Club took over the bar at Ruby Wong’s Godown on August 7, two distinctive cocktail worlds came together for an evening of inventive drinks, Chinese comfort food, live entertainment, and after-dark revelry.
Hidden beneath the Admiral Hotel Manila – MGallery, Ruby Wong’s Godown is already an experience in itself. Inspired by old-world Shanghai, the intimate space combines a mysterious speakeasy setting with Chinese-inspired food, cocktails, and a lively Friday-night atmosphere. For this special takeover, No Entry Cocktail Club brought its playful, experimental approach to the bar, creating a menu that invited guests to drink outside the usual cocktail box.
Four cocktails, four unexpected journeys
At the heart of the takeover were four No Entry creations: Hawkins, Indiana, Coconut Red Curry, Cold Turkey, and Cleansing Wood—each reflecting the cocktail club’s penchant for unusual combinations, layered flavors, and playful storytelling.
Hawkins, Indiana is a spirited nod to Stranger Things, transporting fans straight to the fictional Indiana town where the hit series unfolds. The cocktail comes with a playful garnish of waffle topped with spiked white chocolate, a cheeky visual and flavor reference to the iconic Eggo waffles associated with Eleven in the series. It turns the cocktail into more than a drink—it becomes a nostalgic pop-culture moment in a glass, with the edible waffle garnish making the Stranger Things inspiration immediately recognizable.
Coconut Red Curry takes a decidedly savory and aromatic direction, bringing the warmth and richness of red curry together with the creamy, tropical character of coconut. Its Asian-inspired flavor profile makes it particularly at home alongside Ruby Wong’s Chinese dishes, creating an unexpected bridge between the cocktail and the food.
Cold Turkey leans into a more intriguing flavor journey, balancing spirit, acidity, and savory notes in a drink that is bold without losing its drinkability. Like many No Entry creations, it challenges conventional cocktail categories and encourages guests to approach familiar ingredients in a completely different way.
Rounding out the cocktail quartet is Cleansing Wood, a more nuanced creation that plays with earthy, botanical, and refreshing elements. Its character makes it a natural palate cleanser between bites of rich and savory Chinese cuisine.
For guests looking beyond alcoholic pours, the takeover also featured two playful mocktails: Triad in Tokyo and Pineapl.De.Ap. Bringing the same creativity and personality to the glass without the alcohol, the mocktails ensured that everyone could take part in the No Entry experience.
The perfect pairing: Chinese food meets cocktails
One of the biggest pleasures of drinking at Ruby Wong’s is that cocktails never have to stand alone. The Godown’s Chinese menu is practically built for sharing, grazing, and pairing with drinks.
The Salted Egg Squid and Salted Egg Shrimp are especially fitting bar companions, delivering crispy seafood coated in the rich, savory character of salted egg. Their indulgent texture and umami-forward flavor provide a delicious contrast to bright, acidic, or spirit-driven cocktails.
Then there are the dim sum favorites: Hakaw, with its delicate shrimp filling; Siomai, packed with savory pork and shrimp; and other bite-sized specialties that make it easy to order a table full of food and keep the drinks flowing.
Ruby Wong’s selection goes beyond familiar dim sum staples, with dumplings, buns, noodles, and other Hong Kong-inspired Chinese dishes that make the Godown equally suited for dinner or late-night bar chow.
The combination is effortless: a sip, a bite, another sip. Rich salted egg flavors meet refreshing cocktails; delicate shrimp dumplings soften bolder drinks; savory dim sum keeps the palate grounded between more experimental creations.
A meeting of two cocktail cultures
The No Entry Cocktail Club takeover was ultimately more than a guest shift. It was a meeting of two different approaches to nightlife.
No Entry brings a contemporary, experimental cocktail philosophy—one that is curious about ingredients, technique, nostalgia, and unexpected flavor combinations. Ruby Wong’s, meanwhile, provides the atmospheric setting, Chinese-inspired cuisine, live music, and sense of mystery that make an evening at the Godown feel like a journey into another era.
Put the two together and the formula becomes irresistible: creative cocktails, Chinese bar chow, dimsum, music, and a hidden-room atmosphere made for staying a little longer than planned.
On August 7, Miss Ruby opened her doors to No Entry—and for one Friday night, the Godown became a playground where experimental mixology met Hong Kong-inspired flavors, pop-culture nostalgia, and the unmistakable spirit of a night out in Manila.
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