The flavors of Kobe with products from Cerdanya

Kenichi and Silvia met in Barcelona while he was studying art direction and she was studying teaching. He is from Kobe, Japan, and she is from Burgos, Castile and León. So, what do they both do running a restaurant in Llívia? Basically, they're making diners happy and building a family project in an ideal place to work and live.

It's not easy to excel in Llívia, where the culinary offerings are extensive and high-quality. However, Kenichi Hanasaki and Silvia Ortega's offerings have established themselves firmly in the region. More and more visitors—like us—are coming here to discover exquisitely prepared Japanese cuisine, impeccably presented and full of sensitivity. Let's start with some edamame with yuzukosho (green soybean pods sautéed with garlic, butter, and yuzu citrus with green pepper), a selection of nigiri (prawn, squid, salmon, tuna, and scallop), and a dish with braised Ebro Delta eel cooked according to the traditional Kyoto recipe. This start serves to convince us that we did the right thing coming to the ancient capital of Cerdanya.

The Opositor Noir from the Las Acacias winery in Avignon is the chosen one to accompany us. A young, well-priced, easy-drinking wine made with a native Bages variety, the red Picapoll. The second part of the lunch takes us to taste theuramaki yaki niku with homemade romesco sauce (maki filled with beef from the Pons butcher shop in Llívia, marinated with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger; cooked and braised with spring onion tempura). Let's follow the suggestion board and also try the nigiri of wagyu hida japan (The wagyu is braised with a touch of yuzu salt and fresh wasabi.) These dishes are delicious and, for us, iconic. Can Ryu's cuisine is versatile and adaptable to any season. We finished the meal with Kenichi's homemade ice creams: macha, black sesame, and vanilla.

Now is the time for a leisurely conversation with the people responsible for giving Japanese cuisine a place in Llívia. Three years ago, they decided the best thing for the family was to start a life and professional project together. Kenichi cooks, and Silvia manages the business. In his spare time, he's a mountain runner, and her drive has led her to join the Cerdanya Women Entrepreneurs Group.

"There are differences between the summer and winter menus. Each season incorporates its own products, and they're almost always local. There's a support network between the town's merchants and the region's producers. People help and support each other," Kenichi tells us. "You have to get used to seasonal imbalances. There are times when Llívia is a town with high demand and you can't get anywhere, and other times when it seems like a ghost town. You have to prepare yourself physically and psychologically to handle this reality," Silvia acknowledges.

They both really enjoy the Llívia lifestyle. Can Ryu exudes peace and serenity, and every dish is prepared and presented with love. The flavors stand out, transporting you straight to any Kobe alleyway, but you're in Llívia, one of the most important towns in our country, gastronomically speaking.

At Can Ryu, everything revolves around family, and Ryu is also the name of the couple's son. It's a symbolic name that unites family and business.