In Every Sip or Bite, a Story

Nan’l and The Jewel Box - Portland

This is the first in what I plan to be a series that explores how certain foods and drinks transcend sustenance to become unforgettable experiences. Each article will delve into the personal and cultural narratives woven into a single drink or meal—revealing the memories, emotions, and moments that make them truly meaningful. From a great aunt’s recipe for brown bread to a cocktail with cacao-infused absinthe, this series will celebrate the power to taste and to tell stories that linger long after the last bite or sip.

NAN’L AND THE JEWEL BOX - PORTLAND

I first stepped into The Jewel Box at 644 Congress Street about a decade ago—not long after it opened. Back then, it felt like stumbling into a secret. For several years, I was living out of town and didn’t return. But a couple of years ago, after moving back to Portland, I revisited the bar with a friend—and something in me exhaled.

The bar draws you into a space that feels more like a story than a setting. There’s something intimate about it, like a place that’s kept a hundred secrets. Part Grimm’s fairy tale, part speakeasy.

The lighting is low and warm, spilling softly from vintage sconces and flickering candles nestled in mismatched glass vessels. The effect is golden and dreamlike, with occasional pops of color.

Velvety cushions line the front window bench. The aesthetic is a thoughtful blend of history and romance, with hints of punk and modern tech—less curated than conjured. Victorian frames meet party lights. It doesn’t feel like it’s trying. It just is: timeless, a little mysterious, and utterly inviting—and encourages you to be too.

It was in that vein that I decided to mix things up with my drink order: a dark brown concoction that tasted almost anthropological, swirling with stories.

I’ve long been a rosé girl, but sometimes I am a Pimm’s Cup kind of girl, and when I want to swank things up, I’m a Boulevardier girl. There’s something about the way it rolls off your tongue—bool-uh-vahr-de-ay. Its’ rich amber hue hints at mystery, and the Campari-bourbon combo delivers a bitter start followed by smooth notes of caramel and oak. I first had one at Woodford Food and Beverage at 660 Forest Avenue and became a devotee.

In February, while planning a neighborhood cocktail party and in lieu of splurging on a bartender, I decided to take a bartending class with Nan’l Meiklejohn, owner of The Jewel Box. It wasn’t something I’d normally do, but lately I’m just trying to keep the buzzing of media headlines and requirements of everyday life at bay. A night out in a safe space, distracted by stories, knowledge, and well-made cocktails, seemed like a pretty good idea. Plus, I liked the idea of sharpening my skills and learning more about liquor and technique.

Nanl’s background is described in this fun interview Portland Food Map did a few years ago. He made history as Fore Street’s first male “cocktail waitress” and spent five years at Local 188, mastering the classics under the guidance of local legend John Myers.

I learned a lot, but the more “lightning bolt” tips he offered were you shake drinks that have juice in them and stir drinks that DON’T have juice. Stirring takes longer, but the result is a sleek drink without air bubbles. Don’t over dilute. It’s easy to fix under-diluted drinks by just shaking or stirring longer, but once you over-dilute, it’s hard to undo. ALWAYS juice your citrus. If you can’t juice your own, find the freshest stuff you can. Never use those little plastic bottles shaped like limes or lemons. And again, fresh-squeezed is best.

There were four of us in the lesson, and we each made and drank two drinks. We shook and stirred and squeezed and also laughed a lot and ate salty snacks we’d brought. I’m all about an Aviation (Nan’l describes it as “fancy newfangled technology from the early 1900s”).

Aviation:
2 oz. Beefeater London dry gin
.5 oz Luxardo Maraschino cherry liquor
1 barspoon Crème de Violette flower liquor
.5-.75 oz FRESH lemon juice
Shake with ice, double strain into chilled coupe.
Garnish with a candied cherry 🍒

Since the class, I’ve been turning over ways to share what I learned. I had this idea for an article about how glassware and ice can elevate a cocktail—Nan’l agreed to it, so I headed over to the bar to quiz him. But once we started talking, once I let myself settle into the space, it didn’t fit anymore. What Nan’l does is create drinks that are beautiful and thoughtful, and the space he’s created has an atmosphere that is an extension of them. So, that’s what we talked about.

Notes from a conversation:

Nan’l:

I’m trying to make cocktails that are so delicious that you’d feel good only having one. Straying away from people drinking to get drunk vibes. Being more purposeful with everyone’s drinking. If you’re going to do a shot, why not do one of our super tasty Shots Du Jour?

*The shots change daily, and you can also make any cocktail on the menu a half serving. This is so people don’t have to commit to drinking two full drinks and can sample more of the menu.

Nan’l:

I appreciate a handful of classic cocktails because the bones are so good. A framework that makes it fun to take that template of a drink and substitute different liquors and work on new drinks with it. Take a Negroni that’s equal parts, and instead of gin, try something else.

The only frustration he has with the classics is that some, like a Bee’s Knees, which is just gin, honey, and lemon, are so basic by today’s standards.

Nan’l on what makes a great cocktail:

Some of the best drinks are spontaneous—mojitos in Portugal. Just the fact that you could walk the beautiful streets of Lisbon. Caipirinhas on a rooftop bar. It’s the whole experience. The music, your comfort level, the lighting, who you are with. An adventurous flavor combo like mint and green bell pepper. With smoky mezcal that’s kind of a freaky combination.

Our cocktail the High Priestess with cacao nib infused absinthe and strawberry vodka. That’s not that far-fetched, but not a lot of people are infusing absinthe with cacao nibs when they should be. It’s delicious.

He also says a cocktail needs to be diluted purposefully and that glassware helps. The least important thing for him is the garnish.

Nan’l on inspiration:

We’re looking at a floral theme for warmer weather. There’s always some floral drink on menu—has been since day one. We have a spreadsheet for all the cocktail recipes we’ve done over the years. We might start out saying let’s do a tequila and hibiscus drink. We don’t want four drinks with tequila, so once we have one that’s crossed off. We need a gin drink. Already used hibiscus so let’s do rose and gin. Start to narrow down. Don’t have a whiskey drink, let’s think of one. We consider alternating colors…. Start chipping away. It’s a little bit of everything.

As for the bar’s feel. Nan’l says it’s influenced by his beloved grandmothers—witty, goofy women who played card games and filled their homes with tchotchkes. Their spirt lingers in a floor-to-ceiling mural by his friend Elizabeth Kleene which features pastel illustrations of two rococo-style women smoking flank a space age, cake-like board game. The whimsical scene is framed by scalloped designs, hanging plants, and beaded curtains, with a multicolored floating above, surrounded by, birds and stars.

In 2022, Nan’l was interviewed by Paul Koenig about the atmosphere at The Jewel Box. He explained that his vision was to create a feminine, safer bar—unlike anything he had ever worked at before. A place where inappropriate behavior wouldn’t be tolerated, and where bartenders would push back against things like aggressive men buying unsolicited drinks.

Interestingly, The Jewel Box is often described as having a speakeasy vibe—partially due to its having lacked signage outside for many years. As a historical aside, speakeasies were among the first spaces to allow mixed-gender socializing, offering women more freedom than in previous decades.

A place ahead of its time and also the kind of place where time slips sideways.

p.s. The Weekend 📚

I read Joan Didion’s Notes to John. If you are considering reading it, I recommend you read this NYT article. It’s intimate and uncomfortable the way Didion can be—as anyone who’s ever read Blue Nights or really anything by her knows—but it’s also a gift to those grappling with substance abuse, mental illness, or loving someone who is.
*I picked it up from Green Hand Bookshop as a pre-celebratory Independent Bookstore Day purchase.

In other bookish news, the tour for my second book is shaping up. I’ll be updating this with more events as they stretch into the fall. I hope to see you at Mechanics’ Hall on Thursday, June 5, with my friend Kristen, who hosts Murder, She Told, and Dorothy’s daughter.