Tide Bar, in Woodbridge, offers a warm and satisfying vibe on the shores of the River Deben

With ski season in full swing, a Woodbridge eatery jumped at the opportunity to bring a novel concept to Suffolk.

The team behind The Boathouse Kitchen and Bar in Whisstocks Square, on the shores of the River Deben, welcomed customers to Tide Bar on October 20.

Designed to offer the vibe of a skiing holiday without the need to leave Suffolk, it offers a menu of fondue and raclette.

Emma Cole, the owner of The Boathouse, said she was inspired to open the eatery through a love of skiiing – as well as cheese and wine.

For many, fondue is the definition of indulgence and I’m nothing if not a glutton, so when the opportunity arose to try Suffolk’s first ski bar, I took it.

First impressions on walking in were that the bar seemed perfectly set up for social media snaps – and it says a lot when even the toilet is Instagrammable.

Tide Bar is attached to The Boathouse and is run by the same team. And the smell of cheese permeates the room.

After sitting down, we came across the first point in the favour of Tide Bar – the price. The £22 for a fondue for two, was far cheaper than I expected, and was nothing to sniff at.

We ordered a fondue after briefly considering a raclette.

Accompanying a mouth-watering blend of emmental and gouda cheese melted into a cauldron was a mix of pickled gherkins and onions, new potatoes, cold cuts and a side salad, alongside a heap of sourdough bread.

The woman serving us told us that all the food was locally-sourced, with bread coming from Harvey and Co, and other pieces coming from a farmer in Otley.

The main character of a fondue is the cheese, which was rich and complemented the food well.

Portion sizes were healthy, but not overwhelming. With a perfect amount of food for the cheese given.

The bread was also great, although dipping it in the gooey cheese could be a little difficult.

My only real complaint is the pickled gherkins were a little small. Which, as complaints go, is relatively minor.

In addition to the food were a selection of beers and mulled wine. Also sold on site were black truffle crisps and onions pickled in balsamic vinegar.

But, there’s probably a question on your lips right now? Why a ski bar? And why Woodbridge?

Owner Emma Cole said a key factor in why she wanted a ski bar was the entertainment factor.

She said: “I love skiiing and I love cheese and wine. They compliment each other perfectly. However, fondues can also be very entertaining to tuck into.

“What we wanted to offer was something that you could share – it’s the perfect thing for friends and family to enjoy together.”

Ms Cole said Tide Bar would not be a ski bar forever, and its offerings would change throughout the year.

Once the skiiing season ends, she and her team would change the theme of the eatery – and remained excited for the future, although no details on what it could become down the line were given.

Overall, Tide Bar is definitely worth visiting while the ski season lasts.

The food is great and I’ve been told the wine is decent.

Now, it is winter, so don’t expect any decent views of Woodbridge’s famous Tide Mill or the river. But, when the food is presented this well, it does divert your focus.

And there’s also no dessert menu, so you can’t wash down your cheesy fondue with a chocolate one – but maybe there will be in the future. If you fancy something sweet you’d have to pop into The Boathouse next door.

However, this doesn’t dampen the novelty and quality of what’s on offer, and it scores top marks from me.

Tide Bar is open 5pm to 10.30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 12pm-4pm on Sunday.