Photo by Hazel Wheaton
Kielbasa with sauerkraut - Tofte's Table
Tofte's Table's kielbasa with sauerkraut
I had heard about Tofte's Table from friends over the past few years but had never visited before this summer. The drive to Waukesha for dinner seemed like a bit of a haul, when there were so many great options closer to home. That may seem silly—it's not like I was driving to Green Bay—but it can be hard to argue with laziness. Now that I've tried it, though, I will always have the motivation to make the drive. Waukesha residents can boast of having one of the best restaurants in the metro area in their backyard. People who live in the Milwaukee area owe it to themselves to make the trip.
Tofte's Table can be hard to pin down. It feels expansive, yet it's intimate: There are only 19 tables here, including bar seating. The light and airy feel transformed into secluded and intimate when the sun went down. Our server was friendly and chatty in a way that made me feel like I was at a favorite diner. Yet everything arrived like clockwork, both ends of our table being presented with their plates simultaneously with the smooth and elegant efficiency of a fine dining establishment, not a fork out of place.
The menu, instead of being divided by course, is separated into categories by origin: garden (salads, vegetables and snails), poultry, sea creatures, steer & hog, and desserts. Plates can be paired or shared—let the price point and the helpful server guide you as to serving size.
Seven-Course Tasting Menu
For our party of six, our server recommended the chef's tasting menu. The parade of seven courses, all selected at the chef's discretion, and unknown to us until they appeared on the table, read almost like a greatest hits menu, but there's nothing wrong with that.
The pacing was perfect. Each course came at just the right time so we didn't feel rushed and didn't feel stuffed. One can tell that the kitchen and the servers have a lot of experience with this routine.
The tone is elevated American comfort food. That translates to melting pot, with different cuisines taking their turns for a look in. Comfort food means mashed potatoes, risotto, kielbasa with sauerkraut, fried chicken, meatloaf. Some of the dishes have been on the menu since the restaurant opened in 2016. But in the case of the duck confit tostadas, which started our meal, why mess with perfection?
That tostada mingles Asian flavors—a crispy wonton, shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, sesame and a hoisin drizzle—with the traditional cilantro, fresh tomatoes, and queso fresco of a tostada, and a generous mound of perfectly tender duck. The duck was followed by the fried chicken, with a thick but crisp coating and topped with a maple drizzle.
After the richness of the duck and the fried chicken (which edged up to, but didn't the line into greasy), three lighter dishes followed. Roasted Brussels sprouts topped with maple bacon, honey and shaved Parmesan; fresh burrata paired with a simply dressed Mediterranean-style artichoke salad and toasted ciabatta; and a single perfectly seared sea scallop atop a bed of asparagus risotto.
After that break, it was back to heavier dishes. German food got its turn in the form of a delicious grilled kielbasa topped with sauerkraut and a coarse mustard aioli. Rounding out the meal was grilled tenderloin, served on a bed of earthy wild mushrooms and shallots, with creamy Parmesan mashed potatoes on the side. The rare tenderloin—chef's choice—was perfect as far as I was concerned. But if you prefer your meat a little less bloody, be sure to tell your server if ordering the surprise menu.
Desserts and Cocktails
We were given three different desserts, including a dense flourless chocolate cake and a seasonal blueberry and lemon shortcake. To me, the standout was the sticky toffee pudding, which was lighter than any toffee pudding I've had before — sweet without being sickly, sticky without being weighty. It was a marvel.
Craft cocktails, a specialty here, range from the sophisticated to the outrageous: Don't be surprised to see your drink bubbling or smoking. Our party's choices included the elegant Queen Bee, the Vern's Smoky Manhattan, and two seasonal options, a Blackberry Margarita and a light and refreshing Peach Sangria. Those who don't drink alcohol are treated well, with an extensive selection of craft mocktails, zero-proof cocktails, de-alcoholized wines and non-alcoholic beers.
Reservations are strongly recommended, though you can get lucky and snag a seat at the bar, and outside tables are first-come, first-serve. Parking is plentiful; if a downtown event makes street parking difficult, there's free parking after 5 pm in the bank lot, a short and pleasant walk across Love bridge from the restaurant.
Tofte's Table
- 331 Riverfront Plaza, Waukesha
- (262) 408-5633
- toftestable.com
- All dishes: $4-26; desserts: $8-11. Chef's menu (available for parties of 5 or more): $55. All forms of payment accepted; a 3% processing fee charged for credit cards (NA debit)
- Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 5–9 p.m.; Closed Sunday and Monday
