On October 8, Bar Blanc founder Chase White joins Joey Cerdinia behind the bar for the fourth edition of Uma Nota & Friends.
Shanghai’s cocktail cultureCultureshared traditions, beliefs, values, customs, arts, and social practices that define the identity and way of life of a community, society, or nation.Go to Culture Glossary is making its way to Manila as Bar Blanc founder and bartender Chase White takes over Uma Nota Manila for one night on October 8, 2026. The Bar Blanc in Manila takeover marks the fourth installment of Uma Nota & Friends, the restaurant’s guest series connecting Manila with bartenders, bar personalities, and chefs from around the world. This edition brings White behind the bar with Uma Nota bar manager Joey Cerdinia, pairing Bar Blanc’s philosophy of “restrained creativity” with the restaurant’s vibrant Brazilian-Japanese character.
White founded Bar Blanc in Shanghai in 2024 as an intimate, 26-seat neighborhood cocktail bar centered on balance, flavor, quality, and thoughtful simplicity. Before opening his own bar, he worked at establishments including Saison in San Francisco and Mace, Attaboy, and Experimental Cocktail Club in New York.
Cerdinia, meanwhile, brings more than 15 years of hospitality experience to the collaboration. One of the pioneering figures behind Blind Pig, Manila’s first speakeasy cocktail bar, he helped shape the city’s modern cocktail movement before going on to lead Uma Nota’s beverage program.
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What To Drink At The Bar Blanc In Manila Takeover
For the Bar Blanc in Manila takeover, White will introduce four cocktails created specifically for the Manila event.
“Tropic Thunder” combines pandan-infused tequila, passion fruit, clarified tomato whey, and gentian liqueur for a fruit-forward drink with subtle savory notes. Then there’s “5 Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique” brings together a sugarcane spirit, yuzu, ficus root, and coconut milk.
Local flavors appear in “Glorious Morning Fizz,” an effervescent blend of malt spirit, purple yam milk, citrus, and sparkling water. Completing the menu is the “Trade Deficit,” made with a dry botanical spirit, sour date palm, warm rhizome, fermented tea leaves, and aromatic cocoa extract.
Together, the four drinks offer Manila a glimpse into Bar Blanc’s approach while allowing the distinct sensibilities of Shanghai and Uma Nota to meet across the counter.
“Uma Nota & Friends Vol. 4: Bar Blanc x Uma Nota” will be held on Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 7 PM to 11 PM. Uma Nota is located at Shangri-La The Fort, 30th Street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For more information and the latest updates, visit Uma Nota’s official website or follow @umanota.manila on Instagram.
All photos courtesy of Uma Nota
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bar Blanc takeover takes place on October 8, 2026, from 7 PM to 11 PM at Uma Nota Manila.
Bar Blanc founder and bartender Chase White will join Uma Nota Manila bar manager Joey Cerdinia behind the bar for the one-night collaboration.
Uma Nota & Friends is Uma Nota Manila’s guest series connecting the city with bartenders, bar personalities, and chefs from around the world. The Bar Blanc collaboration is its fourth edition.
The four-cocktail lineup includes Tropic Thunder, 5 Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique, Glorious Morning Fizz, and Trade Deficit.
Bar Blanc is an intimate, 26-seat neighborhood cocktail bar in Shanghai founded by Chase White. Its approach, described as “restrained creativity,” emphasizes balance, flavor, quality, and thoughtful simplicity.
