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Lesley Balla

Los Angeles-based freelance food writer.

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Grilled Oysters from the Morro Bay Oyster Company
Residents of Morro Bay have been harvesting oysters for over 100 years, and this farm may have perfected the art.
Fancy grilled cheese finger sandwiches
We will never walk the red carpet in front of the Kodak Theater, nor will we attend any of the splashy after parties to nibble and nosh with celebrities. But we can look to the caterers who feed them for snack ideas.
umami-600
Umamicatessen, the multi-restaurant-in-one concept in downtown L.A., is not a far cry from the restaurant that lived in that space from the 1940s through the 1970s: Berliner's.
Photo: Sierragoddess/Flickr
This Valentine's Day, think outside of that box of chocolates -- cook a meal full of aphrodisiac foods.
For National Homemade Soup Day on February 4, the first thing that comes to mind is the story of stone soup.
A Slice at Semi Sweet Bakery/Lesley Balla
Where to find the best carrot cakes on this important national holiday, as well as a recipe for our current dessert crush.
Native9
Seeking out the best up-and-coming pinot noir producers in a sea of pinot noir is no easy feat, but we did just that after sipping and swirling around Santa Monica's Pinot Days.
Photo Courtesy A-Frame
The furikake kettle corn is the perfect example of Choi's mix of bold yet familiar flavors... It's a wildly addictive snack that your Super Bowl guests with devour in seconds.
Honey-Sriracha Chicken Wings
If there's one thing we've learned by now, it's that sriracha makes everything taste better. Punch up the classic Super Bowl snack with it this Sunday.
Photo: Lesley Balla
You don't have to drive north of San Francisco to find the state's best wines -- one of the largest and fastest-growing regions is Paso Robles, less than a four-hour drive from Los Angeles.
Delicious warm rumminess at The Varnish/Photo: LA & OC Foodventures
We may not get blustery winter weather, but we do get chilly on those 60 degree days and 40 degree nights. Really, we'd find any excuse to sip a hot buttered rum.
KCET_chickens2
We've found five fried chicken sandwich alternatives -- even better than Chick-fil-A -- to try around L.A.
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