British Overseas Restaurant Corporation

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British Overseas Restaurant Corporation
Map
Restaurant information
EstablishedMarch 2016 (2016-03)
ClosedFebruary 2019 (2019-02)
Street address4120 N. Williams Avenue
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97217
Coordinates45°33′13″N 122°40′00″W / 45.55369°N 122.66653°W / 45.55369; -122.66653
Seating capacity50
Websitebritishoverseasrestaurant.com

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.

Description[edit]

Saffron Colonial was in Portland's historically African American Boise neighborhood. The cafe held up to fifty patrons and served "English food from the colonies of the British Empire".[2] The menu included the Plantation Punch,[3] the Tortolan Plantation Press, and the Winston Churchill Breakfast.[4]

History[edit]

Saffron Colonial was established in March 2016 by Sally Krantz, a native resident who had an interest in historical recipes and operated a chain of bakeries in Hong Kong called Saffron Bakery.[2][5]

Following public criticism and pressure,[6][7][8] the restaurant's name was changed to British Overseas Restaurant Corporation (BORC),[9] a play on the former airline British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), in April 2016.[1][10][11] Protesters had held a Stop Romanticizing Colonialism! march on March 19.[12][13] Krantz said the demonstrations were "nonsense".[3]

The restaurant launched dinner and high tea in mid 2016.[14]

In February 2019, BORC closed its doors, reopening for several months as Fika, "a cafe and co-op from the same owner inspired by Swedish-style teatime."[15] Fika closed six months later in August 2019. Michaela McVetty opened Sisters Gourmet Deli in the space, but said her business suffered because of the previous owner's reputation.[16]

Reception[edit]

Upon its opening, the restaurant was criticized for its name and menu because of their associations with English colonialism.[17] 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]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Bamman, Mattie John (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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b "NW Portland chocolate shop will change name after slave trade concerns". kgw.com. November 14, 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-01-24. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  4. ^ Leary, Brenden (2016-04-18). "What's the deal with Saffron Colonial?". Vanguard. Archived from the original on 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  5. ^ "A 'Colonial' Themed Restaurant In Portland Is In Trouble For… Uh… Colonialism". UPROXX. 2016-04-01. Archived from the original on 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  6. ^ Humphrey, Wm Steven. "Controversial "Colonial" Restaurant Changes Its Name After Public Pressure". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  7. ^ "Protesters Demand Saffron Colonial "Stop Romanticizing Colonialism"". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  8. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (2016-03-29). "Controversial Colonial-Themed Restaurant Sparks Multiple Protests". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-03-27. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  9. ^ Bakall, Samantha (2016-04-09). "Saffron Colonial: Controversial North Portland restaurant changes name". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  10. ^ Filloon, Whitney (2016-09-19). "Is Colonialism the Worst Restaurant Trend of 2016?". Eater. Archived from the original on 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  11. ^ "Saffron Colonial Changes Its Name". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  12. ^ Rothbaum, Noah (2016-03-22). "Is a Restaurant Serving 'British Colonial' Food Racist?". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  13. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (2016-03-23). "Controversial Colonial-Themed Restaurant Loses Its Coffee Purveyor". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-02-01. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  14. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (2016-06-20). "Loyal Legion Gets Massive Whiskey Program Overhaul". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  15. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (18 December 2019). "2019 Portland Restaurant Closures". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  16. ^ "Cafe owner in North Portland says business is suffering because of past owner's reputation". kgw.com. November 13, 2019. Archived from the original on 2022-12-05. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  17. ^ Janmohamed, Zahir (2016-03-18). "On Portland's Saffron Colonial". Medium. Archived from the original on 2017-03-23. Retrieved 2017-03-22.

External links[edit]

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