This family restaurant, with a beautiful bright red facade, is located in the center of Madrid and has been cooking traditional recipes since 1870. When I was there for lunch, we tried the signature dish, Cocido Madrileno which is cooked the old fashioned way, over oak charcoal. La Bola cooks their Cocido Madrileño in a clay pot that seems too small to hold all that’s inside. The waiter first pours a saffron-colored broth with thin noodles into a shallow dish. Once you finish that, they bring a huge plate of chickpeas, with beef, chicken, and pork and cabbage. It isn’t necessarily the most beautiful looking dish, but it’s packed with flavor. If you’re in Madrid, add this to your list of restaurants. ( http://labola.es/ )
