British Overseas Restaurant Corporation

British Overseas Restaurant Corporation (B.O.R.C., or BORC),[1] previously Saffron Colonial, was a restaurant in north Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The restaurant opened in the Boise neighborhood in March 2016, but changed its name to British Overseas Restaurant Corporation the following month in response to protests over its name and menu. The restaurant closed in February 2019.

British Overseas Restaurant Corporation
Restaurant information
EstablishedMarch 2016 (2016-03)
ClosedFebruary 2019 (2019-02)
Street address4120 N. Williams Avenue
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97217
Coordinates45.55369°N 122.66653°W / 45.55369; -122.66653
Seating capacity50
Websitebritishoverseasrestaurant.com

History

Saffron Colonial was established in March 2016 by Sally Krantz, a native resident who has an interest in historical recipes and operated a chain of bakeries in Hong Kong called Saffron Bakery. The cafe, located in the historically African American Boise neighborhood, holds up to fifty patrons and serves "English food from the colonies of the British Empire".[2] The restaurant's name was changed to British Overseas Restaurant Corporation (BORC), a play on the former airline British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), in April 2016.[1]

Reception

Upon its opening, the restaurant was criticized for its name and menu because of their associations with English colonialism.[3] Krantz responded:

For me, it's about the cultural melding of food around the world, focusing on how England has transformed and affected cuisine where they've been present, be it America, India or Sri Lanka ... A lot of people are confused. Colonial is used on a lot of things: to describe a period of time with food, architecture and literature...It seems like some people have confused that word with American slavery ... Take a dish like kedgeree which is still eaten in London. The only reason we have it is because Englishmen went to India with the East India Company...I'm really interested in history and how all societies affect others. It's not always good, but it's not always bad either.[2]

Closure

In February 2019, British Overseas Restaurant Corporation closed its doors, reopening for several months as Fika, "a cafe and co-op from the same owner inspired by Swedish-style teatime."[4] Fika closed six months later in August 2019.

References
  1. John, Mattie (2016-04-08). "Controversial Colonial-Themed Restaurant Changes Name". Eater Portland. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-09.
  2. Bakall, Samantha (March 18, 2016). "Owner of North Portland's controversial Saffron Colonial defends name". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  3. "On Portland's Saffron Colonial". Medium. 2016-03-18. Archived from the original on 2017-03-23. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  4. Jackson-Glidden, Brooke. "2019 Portland Restaurant Closures". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
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