An award-winning Indian restaurant in Edinburgh is set to run a range of afternoon tea cruises on the Union Canal this summer.
Prahna Indian Grill have said that the new cruises will include departures from West Lothian with the move following two successful canal outings on May 28 and June 11 that involved customers boarding a specially commissioned dining barge in Edinburgh’s Fountainbridge.
Over the course of two hours, diners were able to enjoy a classic ‘Afternoon Chai’ which included barbecue chicken sliders, chocolate fudge cake and a glass of prosecco while travelling along the Union Canal to the city’s Slateford Aqueduct and back, the Daily Record reports.
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The events, organised in partnership with the Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust, proved so popular that Prahna has announced a series of further afternoon tea cruises throughout the summer - including trailing its first sailing from Linlithgow on July 16, with further departures expected to follow.
Prahna co-founder Arun Ramanan said: "We had an amazing response to our first Union Canal Afternoon Chai cruises. We’re now delighted to announce we’ll be running further sailings from Edinburgh and also Linlithgow throughout the summer in partnership with the Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust.
"As well as showcasing our unique and incredible Asian food, these events offer local residents and tourists a unique experience which connects them with the beauty and heritage of the Union Canal, an amazing but often overlooked part of Scotland’s history.”
Prahna opened its doors for trading in 2020, just as the global pandemic hit the UK.
Rather than pulling down the shutters, co-founder Arun Ramanan and his team reached out to the local community and delivered hundreds of free meals to mainly elderly people who were shut in their homes at the time.
He has kept his focus on the local community and is involved in a number of events and activities to support people in the west of Edinburgh area.
Earlier this year Prahna was named as Scotland’s leading establishment at the Scottish Asian Restaurant Awards.