Saffron Colonial Changes Its Name

The restaurant's owner will try to put controversy behind her with a new acronym-based moniker.

By Lizzy Acker

Saffron Colonial, Portland's controversial "British-colonial themed" restaurant, has officially changed its name.

In an email to Eater, the owner of the restaurant formerly known as Saffron Colonial, Sally Krantz, wrote: "While it would have been nice to keep my branding and have an accurate descriptor of the cuisine, I recognize that this is taking the focus off of what I want to do with food."

Krantz will now call the restaurant BORC, which she writes "is an acronym for British Overseas Restaurant Corporation and a tongue-in-cheek reference to the precursor to British Airways: BOAC, on which many Expatriates traveled."

Krantz told Eater that she's "sincerely hoping that this name change will allow us to focus on serving great food in a warm and positive environment."

Since the opening of the former Saffron Colonial, the restaurant has been the site of protests. Suppliers Steven Smith Teamaker, Ex Novo Brewing and Ristretto Roasters all stopped selling their goods to business.

Protest organizers did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the name change.

Here is the entirety of Krantz's statement published on Eater:

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