A farmhouse in Pals, a sanctuary for rice

Ruben is a restless and passionate man. He feels a true devotion to the things he loves, and in his case, he can almost count them on the fingers of one hand. The four pillars of his life are cooking, his son Nil, Barça, and Girona. "I can't choose between the two teams. For me, it's like choosing between a father and a mother," he explains. "I've been a Barça fan my whole life; it runs in the family, but I've been a Girona member for thirteen years because I've always felt close to them and I really enjoy it," he explains. He particularly enjoyed a historic season and, not wanting to miss a single Champions League match, decided that the restaurant would be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Ruben Carreras, owner of Can Ruben in Pals, transmits energy, enthusiasm, and passion for everything that makes him happy, and gastronomy plays a very important role. He's the third generation of a business started by his grandparents more than fifty years ago, and over time he's transformed a roadside restaurant into a gastronomic space that features the best local produce. Much of the produce they cook is grown by Ruben's mother and her husband in a garden located just over a kilometer from the restaurant.

Can Ruben's farmhouse belonged to his grandparents and was formerly used for drying rice. Since its opening in 1971, it has undergone various extensions and modifications, transforming it into what it is today: a magnificent space where you can enjoy a good meal: inside or on the terrace, which has a vermouth area and two grills for grilling meat and fish in the summer. We'll enjoy it over a gin and tonic after lunch, but we'll start in the dining room inside with a sure bet: sharing some fantastic grilled Palamós prawns. For starters, we add the steak tartare croissant with grilled foie gras and truffle, and the open-faced spring garlic omelet with prawns and Iberian bacon. A bottle of Clos de las Dóminas 2022 white (DO Empordà) is perfect for introducing the rice, which all three of us are very clear about: topped with shrimp carpaccio. A delicacy that Ruben discovered at Nandu Jubany's restaurant Es Còdol Foradat in Formentera, which he brought to the Empordà region to prepare with the country's finest ingredients. "We always have three or four rice dishes on the menu, and the same number of suggestions. Now we're making eel, a product we've always enjoyed at home because our grandmother was from Valencia," explains Ruben. Traditional cuisine updated, evolving without losing the essence, placing the utmost importance on local produce—this is how Can Ruben defines itself. During the week, it offers a €26 set menu and on weekends, the à la carte and specials menu (€63).

The best product

Dessert arrives: the Santa Teresa toast donut with white chocolate ice cream, the chucho with ice cream of your choice, and the chocolate ravioli with olive oil. An unbeatable end to a meal we finished on the terrace, taking advantage of the good weather and enjoying coffee, gin and tonic, and conversation with Ruben. He excitedly tells us that there are plenty of peas growing from his mother's garden, which also provides potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and, when necessary, artichokes or calçots. He recalls that it was his great-grandfather who came from Valencia many years ago to grow rice in Pals. He has the best produce, knowledge, desire, and talent. He lacks nothing to lead the sanctuary of Empordà rice.