It is in the heart of Mulhouse, rue de l'Arsenal, that chef Christian Uhlen welcomed us. Its restaurant, Zum Sauwadala, immerses customers in a warm, typically Alsatian atmosphere: red and white checkered tablecloths, collection of tankards hanging from a ceiling beam, statuettes of little pigs, storks…
The most popular dishes: sauerkraut, fleischschnacka and baeckeoffe
The restaurateur happily shares his experience and his vision of local cuisine. His Alsatian origins naturally pushed him to highlight the gastronomy of our region. Zum Sauwadala, whose name means “with the little pig’s tail”, already evokes Alsace with this dialect name. The establishment welcomes as many people from Mulhouse and its surroundings as tourists.
The restaurant serves “on average between 150 and 220 seats per day,” says Christian Uhlen. The dishes most requested by customers are well known in the region, such as the emblematic sauerkraut, as well as fleischschnacka (“meat snails”) or even baeckeoffe which is a dish mainly made of pork and apple of earth. These are the dishes that the chef prefers to cook. As for desserts, black forest and frozen kougelhof occupy a nice place on the restaurant's menu.
Family recipes
The dishes that Christian Uhlen offers are “family recipes”, specifies the chef, who adds suggestions to his permanent menu throughout the holidays of the year. The restaurateur adapts his cuisine to the expectations of some of the customers. He thus strives to lighten certain dishes as best as he can, traditional Alsatian cuisine is often rich in fat. In addition, he works with local producers, to source sauerkraut for example.
Christian Uhlen is behind the stove with his son, his daughter having also been part of the team for a while, as a pastry chef. Although the brand has existed for forty years, the current chef took over the establishment three years ago. He notes that working conditions in catering have evolved, “particularly with regard to hours which have become a little more flexible”, he observes.
