Posts in Beauty

Chicken Rice Chronicles: Rasa Delights, Eastwood

Review of Rasa Malaysia, in Eastwood

I’m not the most nationalistic Singaporean you’d find around, but one thing I AM very proud of is the Chicken Rice. First concocted by the Hainanese who migrated to Singapore “back in the day”, this has become a national treasure, and one of our most famous exports.

Most countries in the South East Asian region now have their own versions of Chicken Rice, with our closest neighbour (and fellow foodie community) Malaysia having the most variety!

And when it comes to food, more variety = more deliciousness. Always.

Deep fried chicken rice balls

One such variation are Chicken Rice Balls. You’d think it’s just a case of rolling the rice up into balls, but you’d be wrong. There are so many things to consider: to sauce or not to sauce, chicken in or on the side…and at Rasa Delights in Eastwood, it’s whether to deep fry it.

Yep, when you think that Chicken Rice can’t get any more decadent, you can always roll it into a ball, crumb it in panko and deep fry the sucker.

Deep fried chicken rice balls

Here, it’s pre-sauced and mixed with bits of chicken, crumbed with panko (a Japanese breadcrumb made with white milk bread) and served with Japanese mayo on the side. Kinda like if a Japanese person decided to attempt a Singaporean classic I guess. Not quite the pay off we were hoping for, but points for trying.

Chicken Laksa

Of course, just as a measure of quality, we also ordered the Chicken Laksa. Strips of poached chicken sits atop noodles in a shrimp/chilli/coconut broth. While it hit most of the flavour notes, this particular bowl unfortunately wasn’t thick enough for my taste. Good laksa, to me, is meant to be gao – a Hokkien term for a thickness or richness that you look for in things like Laksa, or, you know, milk teas.

I was severely lacking the shrimp and eschallot mince that is meant to make up most of the soup, much like how assam laksa has flakes of sardine all through it. Not bad for a laksa in Australia, but not quite the laksa my mother has spoilt me with growing up.

Hainan Chicken Rice, with an extra fried egg on the top

So back to the chicken rice it is. I must say that this hits most of the marks for me – silky chicken, glossy rice cooked with chicken fat – BUT I have an issue with the sauces. And to a South East Asian the condiments are half the battle. There have been long, snaking queues in Singapore just for good chilli alone. Well, there’s been long snaking queues in Singapore for not very much, but you know what I mean.

The chilli lacked body, and the ginger sauce was weak. AND WHERE IS MY SOY DRIZZLE. True chicken rice, to me, has to be completed with a soy drizzle that is made of soy, chinese rice wine, and chicken stock that is made from cooking the chicken. Keeps the chicken thoroughly seasoned and keeps the rice juicy. And we like it juicy.

Service wise, they were polite and very accommodating, and they checked in on us often enough without hovering. So that was nice.

I’m still a bit pouty about the lack of condiments, but not a bad option to satisfy cravings for Malaysian food if you happen to be in Eastwood.

This meal was independently paid for.
Rasa Delights
80 Rowe St
Eastwood, NSW 2122
Phone: 02 8040 4605
Website: https://www.facebook.com/rasadelights.au

Rasa Delights on Urbanspoon

Easy eye makeup for monolids

Monolids may seem like a very common Asian eye shape, but the truth is, there aren’t nearly enough makeup tutorials out there for single-lidded sistas like us! And before the days of Google, I had to bumble my way through eye makeup by looking at magazine tutorials for blue eyed beauties, and trying to tweak it for my own eyes.

Well, I’ve settled into a quick and easy method for my everyday makeup look, and I’m ready to share my secrets! Easy eye makeup for monolids is just round the corner. =)

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Move aside, Mrs Jones: Mr Wong, Sydney

Review of Merivale's Mr Wong, in Sydney's CBD

I first heard about Mr Wong when I attended a talk by Brendan Fong at the Sydney Living Museum. He said cool stuff, and there were fish tasters.

I was sold.

Roasted Angus beef shortrib “Shandong style”, soy, chilli and shallot dressing $38Roasted Angus beef shortrib “Shandong style”, soy, chilli and shallot dressing $38

I love the whole “you think it’s something but it’s not” experience, and the menu at Mr Wong is fantastic, creative representation of that.

“Char-Siu” roasted Australian toothfish $38“Char-Siu” roasted Australian toothfish $38

The Roasted Angus Beef Shortrib had an amazing sweet/sour sauce to be had on rice, but the Char Siu Roasted Toothfish was a clear favourite of the night. It was pretty much all the char siu flavours, but on amazingly soft and flaky tooth fish, which was reminiscent of cod. They even had the signature red ring around the white meat that char siu usually has!! Very well executed.

Sweetcorn, English spinach and woodear mushrooms stirfried with garlic butter, $19Sweetcorn, English spinach and woodear mushrooms stirfried with garlic butter, $19

And of course, veggies, because EAT YOUR VEGGIES! This simple dish of Sweetcorn, English spinach and woodear mushrooms stirfried with garlic butter was light and delicious, and was light enough touch to balance out the richness of the other dishes. It did feel a touch out of place in a mostly Asian-influenced menu, but it was still a delicious fit to the meal.

Strawberry ice, sheep’s milk yoghurt sorbet, strawberries, shiso and honeycomb $15Strawberry ice, sheep’s milk yoghurt sorbet, strawberries, shiso and honeycomb $15

And what do you do on a lady date? Order two desserts, of course! The Strawberry ice, sheep’s milk yoghurt sorbet, strawberries, shiso and honeycomb reminded me of the Taiwanese milk ices, and was just so refreshing! Strange thing to say because a dessert is meant to signal the end of the meal, but for some reason the strawberry ice acted as a palette cleanser and I was just ready to eat more food.

Huh. Maybe it’s just really good strategy.

The food was absolutely excellent, and the service was pretty good too. Not in a “they clearly love food” sorta way, but a “they’re really trained so well” sorta way. AND we weren’t charged for rice, which is a nice surprise since, well, it IS Sydney, after all.

Amazing experience, and actually worth the Sydney price tag. Yum.

This meal was independently paid for.
Mr Wong
3 Bridge Lane
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9240 3000
Website: http://www.merivale.com.au/mrwong/

Mr Wong on Urbanspoon

More chatting: Assamm, QVB

Restaurant Review of Assamm, Sydney CBD. Sukhothai Noodle Soup

When I was a kid, I decided that I didn’t like noodle soups. After all, they were milder in flavour than their ‘dry’ counterparts (usually tossed in a myriad of sauces and condiments), and you had to wait so darn long for the bowl to cool off. That just stood in my way of inhaling my noodles, and you never want to stand in my way when I’m hangry.

But like I always say, there’s nothing like a good offer to change someone’s mind, and when it’s a $6 lunch in the city, you know that the cheapskate in me just can’t resist.

A child of the omnipresent Chat Thai group of restaurants, Assamm offers authentic Thai food in the heart of Sydney CBD. Located in the basement of QVB, this little hole-in-the-wall restaurant plays host to snaking queues of hungry officeworkers over the peak lunch periods. But if you’re just willing to wait a little longer, they offer $6 mini-portions between 2-5pm, and let me just say? the portions are actually not so mini.

Restaurant Review of Assamm, Sydney CBD. Sukhothai Noodle SoupSukhothai Noodle Soup, lunch special

Well, unless you eat like a linebaker in the middle of training season, that is. This ‘mini’ portion more than fed me when I was in a my-stomach-is-trying-to-eat-itself state, and I would actually compare it to a regular serving size in Asia.

Restaurant Review of Assamm, Sydney CBD. Grilled Chicken on rice, lunch specialGrilled Chicken on rice, lunch special

The food always adheres to a certain basic standard and authenticity, to me, Assamm really brings it on their broth. There waa none of the watered down cost cutting crap that you usually find in the city. No, this is legit. The Sukhothai Noodles were my favourite, with bold flavours augmented by dried shrimp, tamarind, and a good lashing of chilli. The thin rice noodles were the perfect conduit to slurp up the broth with, and I would have been happy with just the noodles and broth, sans toppings.

Restaurant Review of Assamm, Sydney CBD. Boat Noodles

In fact, I enjoyed myself so much so that I went back again the next day, and decided to brave the queues during the peak lunch hours. This, unfortunately was the downfall of the whole Assamm experience for me.

My dining partner was in the bathroom, so they wouldn’t give me a table until she got back. Fair enough, it’s a busy time. Then she came by and I thought we’d be off to our tables, but we were forced to place our order at the counter first, even though my dining partner hadn’t had a chance to look at the menu. Then we sat down, and her order came first, and mine only arrived pretty much as she was finishing her lunch. I can understand a bit of staggering when its busy, but I do think that it’s bad form that two noodle soups arrive so far apart.

Needless to say, that kinda put a damper on my Assamm dining streak. Great for the off peak dining, but maybe not quite worth the peak hour lunch. Good broth though. Good broth.

This meal was independently paid for.
Assamm
Lower Ground QVB
455 George St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9261 0204
Website: http://assamm.com/

Assámm on Urbanspoon

How to apply fake eyelashes in 5 Easy Steps

When I was a teenager, I’ve hated my eyes. Well, hate is a strong word, but I’ve always looked at women in magazines and wished that I had those wide, deep set eyes with mesmerising pupils framed by luscious lashes. I’ve since made my peace, but not before thoroughly exploring the world of fake eyelashes.

And I’m happy to announce that falsies are not just for drag queens and women with a penchant for drama. No, they are a permanent part of my beauty arsenal, and if applied correctly, can create a wearable, everyday look, with just a touch of drama. Did I mention that it also goes really well with contouring?
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Itadakimasu! Izakaya Yebisu, Sydney CBD

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD

Japanese “Salaryman” culture baffles me a bit. Apparently officemen work hard all day and repress their hopes and dreams, and then go out to a bar and get completely wasted!

Not a bad life, I guess.

And this where Izakaya comes in. It’s basically a drinking house where you can get food to accompany the copious amounts of alcohol. Everything is meant to be in tapas portions, because the booze is KING! Here in Australia, the portions are a little bit more meal sized to provide sustenance, and allow friends to enjoy a nice dinner together as well!

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD. Uni and ikura donburi (part of Hokkaido Gozen Bento)Sea Urchin and Salmon Roe on Rice, part of the Hokkaido Gozen Bento.

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD. Beef Short Ribs (part of Hokkaido Gozen Bento)Beef Short Rib in a sweet soy sauce, part of the Hokkaido Gozen Bento

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD. Agedashi tofu, part of Hokkaido Gozen BentoAgedashi Tofu, part of the Hokkaido Gozen Bento

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD. Maki rolls (part of Hokkaido Gozen Bento)Maki Rolls, part of the Hokkaido Gozen Bento

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD. Coconut jelly, cereal and yoghurt (part of Hokkaido Gozen Bento)Sweet yoghurt, coconut jelly and cereal, part of the Hokkaido Gozen Bento

Bento boxes represent a fantastic variety of the restaurant has to offer, and here at Yebisu, it delivers more than I expected. The Hokkaido Gozen Bento had creamy sea urchin and salmon roe on sushi rice, maki rolls, salmon sashimi salad, sweet soy beef, agedashi tofu, mashed potato croquettes, crumbed crispy prawns, AND sweet yoghurt with coconut jelly. And miso soup. So many things that just wouldn’t fit in one picture. At a $29.95 price tag, this bento would actually feed 2 or 3 people easy, making this the best value for money bento I’ve seen in Sydney yet!!

The beauty of Izakaya dining is also in the variety, and besides the amazingly huge bento, there are also smaller items that you can order.

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD. Seared Wagyu SteakSeared Wagyu Steak

Cooked to a perfect medium rare, the Seared Wagyu Steak comes in a sizzling hotplate, with a creamy mash on the side and crispy bean sprouts on the bottom. The meat was tender, and while it wasn’t quite fatty enough for my taste, it tasted robustly of, well, beef.

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD. Negitoro DonburiNegitoro Donburi

I think I’ve professed before my absolute love for fish on rice, and the Negitoro Donburi fits the bill exactly. Minced fatty tuna (toro) is mixed with spring onions (negi) to create a comforting bowl of goodness. And I just had to count my lucky stars, because they happened to have super fresh tuna that day, from the 2nd birthday celebrations that they were having the night before! WIN WIN.

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD. Otoro SashimiOtoro Sashimi

Of course, if you have fish that fresh, you’re going to show off in your sashimi serving too, and this plate of Otoro Sashimi was shamelessly monopolised by me (sorry Sam!). Melt in your mouth tender, with the distinct meatiness that comes specifically from tuna, this had the effect of feeling oh-so-luxurious, as well as so healthy at the same time!

Though, if fish was really as good for your brain as they say it is, I should be a lot smarter than I am now.

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD. Mochi

Of course, we can’t finish without dessert! These chewy little mochi cakes are made with rice flour, and served with a brown sugar syrup and toasted soy bean flour for a nutty finish. Best part of all, is that it’s also part of a monthly special!

And we all know I’m a chick who just loves a good bargain. And loyalty cards. I love those too.

If you flash your Washoku Lovers club, you get to order the dessert of the month for just $3. The cheapskate in me is secretly rejoicing.

Restaurant Review: Yebisu Izakaya, Sydney CBD. Ice Cream Profiterole

Can’t make it out this month? No worries, because the $3 dessert next month are their ice cream profiteroles, which combine fluffy choux pastry, creamy ice cream, and azuki red bean paste for a veritable sugar high.

Izakaya Yebisu, I hear, is holding different specials every month, which certainly adds a sense of excitement to dining there. The lunch menu is considerably shorter than the dinner menu, but if the Hokkaido Gozen Bento is of any indication, they’ve really just crammed all the variety into a value for money set.

Now to get my hands on more fish…

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Izakaya Yebisu and Washoku Lovers.
Izakaya Yebisu
Regent Place
Shop 7-10, 501 George St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9266 0301
Website: http://regentplace.com.au/directory-detail.php?directoryid=30&pid=1

Yebisu Izakaya on Urbanspoon

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Blink and you’ll miss it: All about false eyelashes! (Part 1)

Being a monolidded Asian with heavy, hooded eyelids, my love affair with false eyelashes started early. Somewhere in my teens, I think, in between the separation of the monobrow and the coloured contacts. Today I have about 8 pairs in rotation at any one time, depending on my mood, and I would just love to introduce you to this world of false eyelashes!
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What just happened? Simmer Huang, Eastwood

Restaurant Review of Simmer Huang, Eastwood

Ever go to a restaurant for dinner, and then walk out wondering what the hell just happened? Well, that happened to me, at a newly opened Simmer Huang in Eastwood.

Eastwood has always been home to many Asian eateries, with their own unique take on the dining experience. From barbecue, to grills, to the good ol’ deep fryer, this neighbourhood has certainly attracted its fair share of the weird and wonderful.

But sometimes, these unique experiences require, well, a little translation. And I’m not just referring to the need for English speaking staff. And before I get accused of waving the racist card let me just say that I think food should be accessible to everyone, especially in a country like Australia where you would assume that everyone can at least speak English.

Anyhoo, we walked into Simmer Huang not knowing very much about them. I deduced that it was some sort of cook-at-the-table hotpot experience, but had no idea what else to expect. We were presented with a huge tick-list type menu upon seating, which didn’t actually explain what we were going to eat, and how we were going to eat it.

And after cycling through a couple waiters and waitresses who couldn’t speak English or explain the system to me, I was told – in mandarin – that you could order one of two ways: Either a pre-decided hotpot that will feed two to three people, or pick your own ingredients and DIY your own. The food will then get cooked at your table in two stages: The first is a bit like a braise, with thick sauces and spices, and once you’ve eaten that, stock will be added to create a thick soup.

…So, you have to eat your one pot meal in two stages.

…Okay.

You know what? Maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe I just needed to put aside my sick need to understand everything about what I’m doing and just eat. After all, it’s just food right? How hard can it be?

Restaurant Review of Simmer Huang, EastwoodCod Steak Hot Pot, $54.90

Quite hard, apparently. A large sauté pot came out onto the induction cooktop built right into our table, and it was layered with butter, spiced veggies, fish, and sauces. So far so good.

They then clamped on the lid for the food to cook, and came back after about 15 minutes, the lid was lifted, and the food was given a stir, and we were told that we could start eating.

But, what about the noodles that I had ordered to go with the stew? Surely it must have been a simple oversight.

Uh uh. You are required to basically finish the food that was in the pot before they will add the stock and your noodles. And if it’s too much food for you, they’ll remove it into a takeaway container before proceeding, essentially noodle blocking me.

What is going on?

We then ate what we could, and then got to the noodle bit, which I was a bit full by then to really enjoy.

So we left, probably more confused than when we first went in, and completely turned off by the whole experience. The food itself was pretty good tasting, but not good enough to put myself through all the brain-hurt again. The service wasn’t up to par, and I’m sure my $35/head could be better spent in other parts of Eastwood, maybe at the other hotpot noodle place two doors down.

Now I’m just left with a noodle craving. DAMMIT.

This meal was independently paid for.
Simmer Huang
Shop 4, 10 Hillview Road,
Eastwood NSW 2122
Phone: 02 9804 0358
Website: http://www.simmerhuang.com

Huang-Ji-Huang on Urbanspoon

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A sandwich by any other name: Tartine, Mascot

Restaurant Review by Insatiable Munchies of Tartine, in Mascot.

I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a sandwich fan at the best of times. Too much bread, too little filling…and there just have always been better options available growing up in Singapore.

But when close foodie friends insist that you HAVE to try the sandwiches at a new cafe owned by a chef with a fine dining background? You go. No questions asked.

Review of Tartine, Mascot - tartine soldiers, coddled eggsTartine soldiers, coddled eggs

At Tartine, it’s breakfast and lunch classics, with a twist. The humble sandwich gets the French treatment – Tartine, if you wanna get fancy – and the open faced construction means you get a better filling to bread ratio and here, owner Anthony creates interesting fillings like The French Onion.

Review of Tartine, Mascot - French Onion: shredded beef, crispy onion, gruyere, chives, sourdough $9.90French Onion: shredded beef, crispy onion, gruyere, chives, sourdough $9.90

Beef brisket is cooked sous vide, and covered in finely grated gruyere and crispy fried shallots, mimicking the comforting french onion soup. It’s a touch on the dry side, but the flavours are all accurately on point. Very impressive.

Review of Tartine, Mascot - The Chef JaffleThe Chef Jaffle – Leg ham, Bacon, Three layers of cheese, Coddled eggs, Sriracha, Barbecue Sauce

And if you prefer your sandwiches with two sides of bread, the humble jaffle gets a foodie makeover too! The oh-so-mandatory slices of white bread gets filled with sriracha, barbecue sauce, leg ham, bacon, 62C egg and three whopping layers of cheese. Ooey and gooey, Anthony takes the effort to cook the egg at 62C for an extra hour, to prevent premature ooze. Tee hee.

Review of Tartine, Mascot - Caramelised banana, cream, dolce de leche, crumble, $9.90Caramelised banana, cream, dolce de leche, crumble, $9.90

For those with a sweet tooth, they also do dessert-for-breakfast options like this Caramelised Banana Crumble with Dulce De Leche. And let’s not make pretend here – something that deliciously sweet and decadent is most definitely dessert, and I move that we should be allowed to eat dessert any damn time of
the day I want!

Just give me the dulce de leche and pass me a spoon.

Bur really. The food is incredibly affordable and more than delicious, and what’s more impressive is that there isn’t even a full kitchen on site. Anthony has a sous vide water bath, a grill, and an induction cooktop for things like the dulce de leche. That’s it! Which explains why the eggs are only done one way, but who needs eggs any other way when you can get them to a perfect 62C. Mmm onsen eggs.

The beautifully decorated interior is furnished with reclaimed furniture, refurbished by Anthony and his super handy wife, who has an amazing aesthetic. The ultimate vision is to have 5 or 6 tartines around Sydney, all with the differently themed interior!

More jaffles and amazing sandwiches, yes please! Mmm molten hot cheese lava jaffles.

This meal was independently paid for.
Tartine
635 Gardeners Rd
Mascot, NSW 2020
Phone: 02 9700 9847
Website: https://www.facebook.com/tartine2020

Tartine on Urbanspoon

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Kushi Kushi Koo! Osaka Bar, Potts Point

Restaurant review of Osaka Bar, Potts Point!

I remember when I was little, and my dad and mom brought me to Disneyland. It was late, and we had been on every ride I was allowed to go on as a 4 year old. We had met all the characters, taken all the photos, and I was hungry. My mum disappeared into the crowd and came back with a small plastic box. Inside, lay kewpie-mayo-smothered slices of California Roll.

I didn’t know it then, but that was the beginning of my love affair with Japanese food.

It’s this love affair that has brought me to Osaka Bar, in Potts Point, where Chef Kazu aims to bring Osaka soul food to Sydney. Chef Kazu descends from a long line of Japanese chefs, and began his own cooking career as an apprentice washing dishes. He then progressed to “utensil cleaner” before even being allowed to prep food. It took him 5 whole years to progress to filleting fish, and about 19 years ago, he decided that he wanted expand his horizons and see the world. And in Australia, “the people were nice and the weather was good“, so he stayed.

Osaka Bar represents a lifetime of feeding people and wanting to make them happy. Chef Kazu wants to serve food from his heart and hometown, all in a quaint eatery in Potts Point!

OkonomiyakiOkonomiyaki

IkayakiIkayaki – savoury squid pancake

TakoyakiTakoyaki – Japanese balls made with wheat flour, octopus and pickled ginger

Kushi KatsuKushi Katsu

Osaka is famous for street food, and this is where Osaka Bar shines. Their Kushi-Katsu – not to be confused with Kushi Age, as I’m empathetically informed by Chef Kazu – is an amazingly addictive array of skewered items, coated lightly in a thin beer batter, and then crumbed with panko, Japanese breadcrumbs made from flaked white milk bread. The pork, tenderised only with the back of a knife, is my absolute favourite, followed closely by the melt-in-your-mouth salmon belly.

The Okonomiyaki is also delicious – a tender Japanese savoury pancake with thin crispy slices of pork, and crunchy cabbage. And lots of Japanese mayo, of course.

And if you’re too hungry for smaller bites, they have some pretty rad mains too!

Osaka Style Unagi SushiOsaka Style Unagi Sushi

Lamb Cutlet with Sanjoku Sauce and Mentaiko Mash PotatoesLamb Cutlet with Sanjoku Sauce and Mentaiko Mash Potatoes

The Lamb Cutlets with Sanjoku sauce were served with a side of mentaiko mash, which totally stole the show. Mentaiko is a spiced and salt cured cod roe that adds this mind blowing depth of flavour to the creamy mash.

Kakuni PorkKakuni Pork

And the rich, sweet, salty Kakuni is a tender cube of pork belly that would be so comforting with a bowl of rice. Chef Kazu even puts his unique spin on it, adding red miso to the braise to add body.

But really. It’s pork belly. We’re just improving on perfection.

Osaka Bar gives you a vibe of being welcomed into Chef Kazu’s family dinner table. This hilarious, charismatic chef is right there in the open kitchen, welcoming guests and perfecting every dish that goes out. Sure, it’s not Japanese fine dining, but that’s exactly where the beauty lies. There’s a lot of heart and passion, executed with skills that only years of experience can pull off.

Looks like we might be spending more time in Potts Point!

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Osaka Bar.
Osaka Bar
Shop 15 Llankelly Place, 24-30 Springfield Avenue
Potts Point, Sydney
Phone: 02 8970 1143
Website: http://www.osakabar.com.au/

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