One of the best iced lattes I have ever had. Hooked on to it completely. It has become my excuse to go for a walks everyday
It's been a few years since I've last dine at this Japanese cafe in Clayton but this time I'llbe reviewing their takeaway option. I ordered their popular chicken katsu curry, reckon chips and matcha latte.
The curry was presented in biopak packaging and kept the curry secured. The sauce was slightly thick but very aromatic and delicious. Katsu was slightly small and had a nice crisp to it. The rice was slightly overcooked and sticky but unsure if that's their style. Paired with the poached eggs and salad, the curry was great.
I loved how the Reckon chips maintained their crispiness throughout the delivery and kewpie mayo was added on the side. I did order extra mayo but the mayo provided is enough for the chips.
The matcha latte was very silky and light. The powder was well mixed and pleasing to the palate.
Their dishes were very yummy! Both fried chicken in the burger and in the curry was so crunchy. The takoyaki was soft and flavorful. The portion size was great for the price as well.
I guess the down side to this place is that they’re pretty small, so if you go there during lunch time, you might have to wait for a while. But 100% worth the wait! 💕
PS: I went here pre-covid but just got the time to review them.
One thing I appreciate about Japanese food is the large diversity of food presented - I was not disappointed in this case.
I got the healthy salmon bowl which came with rice and salmon, together with Edamame, lotus root, an assortment of pickles as well as a yoghurt fruit bowl. The meal overall was light but still presented with hints of umami from the salmon and edamame. 4/5 for a simple traditional breakfast.
The egg croissant had a few dry curds as pictured and was overall an adequate experience. 3/5
This restaurant really nails the concept of cafe+ Japanese food and that's why I keep coming back. Love the vibe of this place and consistently delivers great authentic food.
Their lunch menu is extensive and have a variety of Japanese dishes that most other restaurants don't.
Love their karaage- probably the best I have had with its crispyness and flavour of marinade where you can really taste the ginger. Curry is great as well. Can't say so for the fish however, was not the freshest and had quite a lot of bones in it.
For a place known for Matcha, their coffee and matcha is unrivalled with just the right amount of sweetness and bitterness to it.
Love this place, would recommend, great prices, delicious food. Haven't found a cafe like this in Melbourne yet
Nice food and latte. Lovin' it
Matcha eapresso was great one was $5.50. It was worth the price, matcha taste was really rich and tasty. Ordered the small size and it was enough. Fast service and it was clean inside. More authentic japaneases deco and vibe would be nice!
I love their range of choices for matcha lattes, including hot, cold and frozen options. Love their desserts and cakes as well as it's not overly sweet and doesn't rely on too much sugar but the freshness of the fruits. Amazing customer service as well and I love going back here!
Great matcha lattes and delicious food. Staff are always so friendly and accommodating. The open courtyard out the back is lovely to be in when the weather is nice and they're happy for us to bring our dog there too. Definitely one of our favorites in Clayton
Good place in Clayton where you can have quick meal and cakes and also matcha drinks. Loving the karaage chicken and their lotus root chips too. Seasonal Cakes are made in the premise. Tasty and not too sweet!! Loving it here
Came here for lunch with my colleagues and this cafe is soooo cute! We ordered the takoyaki, curry, and Katsu sandwich! The serving sizes were generous and food delicious , can’t wait to come back to try the ice creams
I always come back for the desserts and drinks. The matcha ice cream is by far better than what you get at other places, authentic and rich in flavour. And don’t forget to try their latte and milkshakes
Chayo has always been an awesome and comfortable place to dine in. Friendly service, lovely presentation, nice drinks and dessert with a good variety to choose from on the menu- healthy and clean food. Such a great place to have in the neighbourhood in Clayton.
very tasty, lots of choice, very authentic (just came back from japan so can confirm, they even have the same push-to-automatically-open doors!), reasonably priced. big fan
Cosy cafe, delicious Japanese food, lovely service!
like the green tea espresso the most!
Their match tea sections are pretty impressive, and the staff members are polite and kind. Food's pretty standard for a small Japanese restaurant/cafe, but the menu is pretty confusing. They do have interesting shortcakes on their dessert menu, which I definitely recommend the matcha or strawberry shortcake. Also, perhaps visit the cafe during the weekdays instead of the weekends if you're interested to try their desserts. There were barely any selections for us to pick when we visited the cafe on a Sunday.
Chayo is AMAZING. Authentic Japanese food with superb drinks, and even better service. I have been to Chayo many times and it's never failed me. Chayo is truly the saving grace of dreadful Clayton.
Uyen’s Eat And Play Notebook
+5
Believe me, good food can bring instant happiness 😊 Chayō Japanese Café @chayo_melbourne • Teishoku- marinated mackerel in sweet miso paste $18
• The fresh and perfectly cooked mackerel paired so well with the slightly sweet and savoury miso sauce.
• I also love the well-dressed salad and the crunchy lotus root chips. • Miso soup was served hot and had rich taste of miso paste. • Hojicha roll cake $7.5 was super delicious, fluffy and soft; the cream was slightly sweet and had mandarin, grapes, blueberries and rockmelon.
Delicious coffee, matcha latte, hot chocolate, and good cakes. The sorbets were great but the lemon marmalade was too intense.
Clean, hip venue with a decent menu. Had the ebi tempura don with several different veggies.
Little bit thick on the sauce but the quality of the rice was noticeable. Overall a pretty good meal.
The cake here is amazing! Each layer of the cake is well constructed with the right texture and creamyness.
Karate and Takoyaki were so amazing!!! Staffs are friendly. Matcha latte was wonderful. However, cakes were not as good as I thought. It was a such good experience for Japanese cafe
Simple Japanese cuisine at its best!
Had the chicken karaage with rice. The chicken was fresh, crispy and very well seasoned. The salad was also very yummy. The yuzu ice blended drink was so good! It was on the pricey side, but I highly recommend!
Very contented with my meal.
They also have a selection of cakes, as well as a wide range of matcha drinks which I am keen to try!
Will be back!
Filling portions, decent priced and good flavours. This may be a new favourite of mine around Clayton. It would be hard to find a better meal around at this price point.
We ordered the udon noodles and karaage curry; both are very different but both dishes were very well done.
The udon were flavourful and hearty. The tempura was honestly about the best i've ever had, there was so much flavour to it.
The karaage curry was thick and aromatic. The chicken was crispy but not dry.
Came here for a quick tea break. I had the cold soy matcha latte. Matcha taste is good and strong. Would come back to try their other dessert or maybe the food.
Have only had a latte and twice it was excellent! Under $4 which is rare these days. So if you are a coffee snob it’s probably the best in Clayton. So my rating only based on coffee.
Pretty sure Chayo graduated with honors in Marketing because this cafe has nailed it. A Japanese cafe catering for a location that's frequented by a young Asian crowd, while the fancy drinks menu first catches the eye, the well crafted mod-Japanese menu deserves plaudits. A very healthy Japanese style big breaky respects the individual components comes with rice, grilled salmon, pickles, miso and a bunch of edamame that's surprisingly been kissed charred by some flames a sprinkled with shichimi pepper. Splendid. The udon with tempura prawns packs a bit more flavour, the slippery white thick noodles carrying the salty dashi style broth.
Highly recommended.
Matcha cakes are nice and not too sweet. The ice creams are very matcha. Desserts are Japanese styled. The environment is clear and simple. Really like their desserts but haven't really tried their main foods.
Delicious food and amazing service! The beef tongue and tofu are especially great! The staff are all very friendly and nice. Love the hojichq milk tea, it was really good! Will definitely go again!
For more food sharing experience, please follow my IG jellymumfood :)
3.5/5
Went there on a Sunday morning. Staff was very friendly! The karaage chicken was great & the batter tasted really good. The serving is also huge for just $13. (10/10 will recommend the karaage chicken if you want a good, filling & cheap meal). Takoyaki ($7 for 8 pieces) was slightly above average w good amount of diced octopus in it but would have been better if they had topped it up with more bonito flakes (refer to pic). The jap curry w baked cheese ($16) in my opinion is pretty average tasting but again portion is huge. Curry came with potatoes, onions & carrots. The dish also includes an egg on top. However note that you’ve to pay $3 or $4 for adds on such as chicken karaage and chicken katsu. Overall, Chayo is a pretty great jap cafe. It’s probably one of the best places to dine in at Clayton.
Small little Japanese restaurant - came here on my lunch break at work. Friendly and quick service. I had the kaarage chicken burger which was just sensational - crispy chicken cooked to perfection and was nice a juicy too. The spicy sauce in the burger was the perfect amount of heat and the bun was just perfect. Loved it! My friend had the curry which was also delicious - chicken was also cooked to perfection. Highly recommend and I'll definitely be back!!
One that I certainly did except to be this good. Located in such a busy part of town, Chayo somehow manages to remain peaceful and yet vibrant and the same time. Ordered the chicken burger expecting a generic burger to be placed in front of me, was pleasantly surprised to see the individuality in the creation. Also ordered the koi matcha latte and found it delicious. Will certainly go again!
Nice green tea latte and the coffee looks good too. I tried the breakfast chicken teriyaki with sencha, which was good and adequate. But the price is a bit high ($12), especially if want salmon ($17). Overall ok, will come here again for the latte.
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Chayo, a Japanese eatery, which turned out to be an unexpected delight. A small cafe, Chayo offers a semi Japanese fusion cafe menu (think brunch with some Japanese elements). I went with the karaage chicken teishoku. This was delicious and an absolute steal at $13! This generous serve of crunchy tasty chicken (about seven good sized chunks of chicken breast and thigh) was amazing. With a thin batter it was hardly oily at all. There was just so much chicken for the price - any other eatery would probably serve half the amount of chicken and charge you a few dollars more, too. I was only able to eat two pieces and took the rest home for a lovely afternoon snack.
The chicken came with a big mound of rice, squeaky fresh salad, lotus root chips, pickles, a seasoned powder for the chicken and a generous bowl of miso soup. All of that was wonderfully made. The only exception was the green seasoned powder - this was an MSG bomb. I only used a little bit of it but I was incredibly thirsty for the rest of the day - I just couldn't wash away that MSG off my palate.
A cute little cafe in Clayton that serves home-style Japanese food and beautiful Japanese desserts.
We came for lunch and ordered the Nihon No Curry with Karaage, and the Teriyaki Salmon Teishoku. Both dishes were delicious and portion sizes were very good. The curry is thick and very flavourful, and the karaage is super crispy and delicious! I loved the different elements in the teishoku set and the salmon is cooked perfectly.
Will definitely need to come back again to dry their cakes and desserts!
Amazing local gem and probably our new favourite Japanese spot. Large portions, amazing service and reasonable prices. We tried the breakfast set, chicken katsu sandwich, chicken karaage and one of the desserts - loved all of it! They also have authentic Japanese drinks (huge selection)! Thanks for a great morning guys! We will be back!
It was a beautiful cafe and the staff was very nice. I didn’t have a meal here but the cake slices caught my eye. I brought the black sesame chiffon cake, it was pricey but delicious. The cake was soft and cover with cream, with a hint of black sesame flavour.
They serve ice cream, milk teas and teas here as well.
I ordered the Karaage Chicken Teishoku and a ice matcha latte. The Karaage Chicken Teishoku is really nice, portion is just right for a big eater like me. It also comes with a bowl of miso soup. The Karaage Chicken is really delicious, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside! 😋 The price is reasonable for this dish. Besides that, the presentation of the food here is pleasing. 💗 I love the ice matcha latte too, it’s really refreshing and not too sweet.
Small restaurant in Clayton might not be popular as they have huge advertisement about green tea rather than food. We decided to try out and ordered 2 dishes: Baked Curry with Chicken Katsu & Karaage Chicken Teishoku.
It comes out with a really huge bowl that it’s pretty good with the price. However, chicken katsu portion was really small compared to the extra charge for each of the topping we want to add. Curry tasted perfectly with combination of cheese. Cheese Lovers, you’re going to love it!!
Decided to order Karaage Chicken Teishoku as I saw something special that it is served with matcha salt. However, there is no difference with normal salt that we taste daily. Chicken Karaage is cooked perfectly, really crispy and still has the juicy meat. Served with the Miso soup, salad and rice. Nailed it!
Overall, it’s a surprise how they can have good food and service.
Great little place to sit having a cup of matcha or roast tea. Authentic Japanese food with good portion. Karaage chicken is beautiful marinated with crispy flavour. Salmon nicely cooked combined with Japanese pickles. Downside is lotus chips are not crispy a bit soaky.
After awful customer service across the road at Modu, this is a perfect example of what customer service should be; while it was busy at Chayo and seem to be short of staff on the floor, the team here was very polite and doing their best to attend every customer. We ordered the breakfast platter and it was great, amazing matcha espresso and great vibes with Beatle music in the background! Definitely will come back again to try other foods!
Been here a couple of times and tried their cakes and dinner items. All of the cakes were lovely, not too sweet. My favourite is the sesame chiffon cake. Their food is delicious aswell, generous portions.
It’s pleasant to find a place that makes decent matcha drink in Melbourne. The shop is run by japanese. They offer delicious homemade gelato, all day breakfast, dessert, tea and coffee. My favourite is Iced matcha chocolate tea latte with black pearls (they make good pearls too). Sometimes they have trainees and they aint as good but overall it’s a lovely cafe with friendly staff and great matcha drink :)
The mocha and chocolate croissant I ordered were delicious. Croissant was crispy and filled with warm chocolate. Yum!
Service was friendly and prompt.
Nice green tea based menu with authentic japanese cook, we had the chicken karaage rice and cheese baked curry. Big portion and would like to try their cakes and ice cream next time
Had a lovely sunday brunch here. Ambience and decor is nice and pretty authentic japanese matcha green tea they use that is also in display. May be slightly hard to find a big table during peak hours. I had no issues with a group of 5 just get in before lunch time.
Menu is superb! Nice array of vegetarian options and great selection of drinks! Average prices! I got the vegetarian baked cheese curry and it was a decent portion which was very filling, not too overpowering and yummy. Hot Matcha latte was great, perfect as a i cannot handle bitterness, this matcha i would say is mild but yummy.
Will come back to try other dishes off the menu
We were looking for a place for a late lunch and we decided on Chayo.
It’s a clean place with very friendly and prompt service. While small, it is a cozy and comfortable place.
We had the ‘teishoku’ sets, the deep fried chicken and the tofu sets. Both were delicious, bringing back memories of eating similar dishes back there.
so delicious!!! we had the takoyaki, iced matcha, houjicha milk tea and a slice of cake (not sure what the name was)!
everything was really fresh: the takoyaki came to the table piping hot and obviously just made, the pearls in both drinks were sooo soft and squishy unlike some milk tea places where they might be chewier because of the amount of time they’re left out for ++ the cake was so moist, fluffy and pretty to look at!
the only negative would probably be the price of the cafe - it’s a bit fancier than any other dirty kinda cheap asian dessert house. defs nice for a little treat though! highly recommend the cake and the takoyaki, the drinks were probably be a pass next time just because of the price
Japanese style cakes. Coffee and an extensive tea and drinks list. Nice cups, cutlery, and crockery. Simple, complementing dishes on the menu and a baked curry rice that will solve all your problems. What isn't there to love??
Cons - sometimes you have to wait a little while after sitting down for menus. Still waiting for bathrooms to be finished.
First time with my partner, he ordered the teriyaki chicken and he absolutely loved it (he even said it’s the best teriyaki chicken he’s ever had!). I ordered the curry with chicken katsu, the katsu was a little burnt on the outside, but other than that it was really delicious. I love the cute environment and most importantly it’s so affordable!
The matcha is great and I would 100% come back again. The food was average but their matcha drinks make up for what they lack in food. It's a nice cafe and not something you think would be in Clayton but it works well.
Authentic Japanese cafe serving up a variety of items. Had the iced matcha tea latte which was refreshing and had a great flavour. Their croissants and hot food selection also looked appealing.
Cool little place offering japaneese favourites and authentic desserts. Great range of matcha desserts. Will endeavour to return and try the dinner menu.
Absolutely love this place. My go to Japanese curry cafe !! The regular size nihon no curry $10 is great value - reminds me of curry in Japan! Also must order = LARGE PORTION OF KARAGE CHICKEN FOR $13!!! IT IS THE BEST KARAGE CHICKEN IVE EVER TASTED. The menu items are very reasonable, except for maybe the breakfast plate which is the most expensive I thinks that $22.50-$23.50. hands down best authentic Japanese curry here in SE suburbs
Loooove the matcha hot chocolate! This small cafe offers a large cafe drinks menu with Japanese delights. There’s matcha options galore as well as the usual favourites on any drinks list. There’s a food menu as well so you can grab a bite to eat or even stop in for dessert
What a gem! Modern Japanese style cafe serving a wide variety of Japanese inspired coffee & tea. Great food menu too. Iced matcha latte was interesting. We enjoyed the takoyaki, karage burger & rice dishes. Would love to try other stuff next time. Cakes looked lovely but rather pricey.
Coffee Roasters
Been wanting to try this place for awhile but I had already had lunch. Therefore went for the Matcha Espresso Latte, which I must did not disappoint. Something unique and more importantly tasty.
Taste: 🍵 🍵 🍵 🍵
Temperature: 🍵🍵🍵
Time: 4 mins
Toll: $5.5
Takeaway: Drank in, so to be reviewed in future
Clean and dedicated food. If you love macha， this is the right place to go. Love the friendly stuff. But the food is quite small - not suitable for people with big appetite.
Best jap brunch place 💛 feat. Soy matcha latte / vegan agedashi tofu teishoku / ginger marinated pork and onions teishoku 😊
✔️vegan friendly
✔️ good portion size (especially for girls )
✔️ affordable
I ordered the iced matcha latte (Strong)n karaage chicken. I like the matcha latte but the green tea flavour was not strong enough for me, but at least it was not as sweet as those ones selling in the city, so it was still a nice summer drink to me. The karaage chicken was average, the texture of the chicken inside was a bit overdone n dry, and on the outside it was not crispy enough, as it was deep-fired for the second time. Service was great, staff there are so friendly.
Their cappuccino is so good! Me and my flatmate also bought home their coffee beans and we absolutely love their coffee! The first cup of cappuccino I finished here so fast, I regretted not ordering a larger one 😅
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I thot its a jap ice cream and cake cafe when I first passed by, but then I looked up for reviews and realised they also have some jap homestyle comfort food too.
I was here on Sat lunch, two people. We started off with a matcha latte, then order the karage burger with matcha salt fries and a side dish of large takoyaki ball.
The latte was silky smooth but the matcha smelled stronger than its taste, I'd suggest the koi matcha latte if you want a intense and powerful matcha flavour.
The karage burger with fries was as of expectations. I am always a big fan of jap karage, it was hot and juicy but the chicken meat itself didn't have much taste. Other than that, the bun with spicy mayo and cabbage salad was fine.
I like the takoyaki ball the most, they were all crispy outside and soft inside with a generous proportion of sauce and mayo.
We wrapped up with a matcha short cake, the matcha cream was very smooth and creamy, sadly the sponge cake wasn't moist enough....otherwise it wouldn't have been perfect. I have a favor towards all types of jap food, so I would give it a 4!
Friendly service, and is suitable for anytime of day. Can stop by for a drink, snack or meal - the menu has it covered. Great cafe to have in the area!
A friendly eatery located in the eastern suburbs offering authentic japanese eats. Their ochazuke is light and suprisingly pleasant . Protip : get the Sakusaku Sundae so you can have a chance to try 2 scoops of their housemade matcha icecream !
Ordered:
- Karaage Burger w/ small Matcha Salt Fries
- Karaage Teishoku
- Hojicha Tea Latte
- Koi Matcha Tea Latte Strong
Karaage was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The matcha salt for dipping was not needed and it would be nice if they had included the spicy mayo in the set instead. The burger buns (Hokkaido milk buns) were different and good. The small fries portion was massive but on the salty side. The tea lattes were enjoyable.
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Who would have thought that such a gem of a cafe has been hiding all this time in Clayton? Chayo would not have been out of place smack bang in the city or the hip neighbourhood of Fitzroy or Windsor.
A tight menu showcasing Japanese breakfast and lunch fares, while still catering for the sweet tooth. My partner and I shared the Karaage Chicken Teishoku and black sesame cake. I added an order of the Genmaicha French Toast because why not?
The Karaage Chicken was top notch. Beautifully crispy, well-seasoned and the chicken was moist and tender. It didn't even needed the matcha salt, but I sure didn't mind the extra burst of flavour. The rich and hearty miso soup was also very enjoyable.
While I enjoyed the distinct flavour of Genmaicha in the French Toast, the bread itself was too soft and mushy. Pairing it with an abundance of fruits, whipped cream and a scoop of slightly bitter matcha ice cream was brilliant, making it a light yet satisfying dish.
The black sesame cake was unfortunately rather dry, but the taste was spot on.
The matcha and espresso latte was delicious, I can definitely see myself asking for a shot of espresso in my matcha latte from now onwards. A dirty matcha anyone? The hojicha milk tea was a bit weak unfortunately.
The service was polite and attentive, as one would expect from the Japanese. I'm surprised with such winning combinations, Chayo has yet to have a queue out its door.
Great selection of food and desserts. Definitely a great place for locals who crave some Japanese brunch without the need to travel far. Had the black sesame latte with soy milk and loved it. The staff were absolutely lovely. Will be back to try some food.
My go to place for dessert fix. Their home made desserts never disappointed me. Recommend their green tea creme cake. Limited availability on some selection.
Visit for dinner once, they have a small menu. Their cafe selection is more extensive.
Authentic Japanese restaurant in Clayton!!! Had Koi matcha tea latte. It was good but I wish they made it stronger and a bit more bitter. The matcha cake was beautifully presented. The cream was smooth with a hint of bitter earthiness from the matcha.
Next time I will try black sesame cake and matcha gelato.
Chayō is one of our favourite cafes in Clayton for matcha and lunch! They also offer delicious Japanese shortcakes and great chips. The place can get quite busy during the day so we’d recommend making a booking if you’re going as a group. Staff were also friendly and polite.
Used to come here often for a meal and have always enjoyed my experience here. The food is fresh and tasty, and the service is down to earth. Recently tried their cakes and absolutely love them. Soft, fluffy and so delicious! The flavours are delicate and on point. A must try!
🥭 mango shortcake
💚 pistachio strawberry croissant
🍓 matcha strawberry shortcake
🍵 matcha latte
🍰 strawberry shortcake
🏠: @chayo_melbourne
📍: 351 Clayton Road, Clayton
📝: Been to this cute Japanese cafe a few times already. They’ve got a selection of cute shortcake and bakeries as well as amazing Japanese drinks like 🖤 sesame and matcha! Still have yet to try their savories like 🍛 curry, 🥪 sando and 🍱 teishoku yet so I have to go back!
❤️: Never had a 🥭 Mango Shortcake before so this was exciting, but nothing beats a classic 🍵🍓 Matcha and Strawberry for me 🤭. The 💚🥐 Pistachio & Raspberry croissant was also yum, not too sweet with a little bit of tanginess.
Really good Udon, hearty and light. Definitely use fresh prawn for sure, large and juicy. Good place to bring your Dog too, they let us have our meal outdoors to accommodate us.
Friendly staff, not much more you could ask for!
Decent Japanese food, certainly not bad but not particularly great either.
Assorted shrimp tempura only had 2 pieces of shrimp and the rest were vegetables, there was no tempura dipping sauce either. The tempura was fried well though, they weren't soggy and the miso soup served with it was good.
The strawberry shortcake was a bit dry, but the cream was nice and light.
The matcha latte was good, there were options for milk type and sugar level as well.
I pre-ordered the strawberry shortcake. Was so happy with the service. Also the presentation of the cake was beautiful and tasted fantastic. Made fresh with fluffy sponge, cream and strawberries. Was not sickly sweet, just right. Would definitely recommend. A great birthday cake that my family really enjoyed ❤❤❤
Friendly attentive staff, they seemed to be low staffed so not all tables were cleared but I can see they’re doing their best. The layout is kinda strange, and the outside seating was weird it’s outside another shop. The way it’s placed isn’t the best, it’s right outside a bus stop so you’re constantly getting the noise of buses and getting gassed by the fumes. (Maybe it’s normal I’m not sure I’m not a melbournian) but we ended up going inside. Its pretty cool how there’s QR codes on the tables and you order on your phone.
The food is delicious. Miso is really good. Karaage chicken is really good everything came hot and is fresh ingredients. Good portion size. Really fast service. Iced Matcha is delicious and had options of milks and you could pick the sugar amount. Strawberry shortcake is really yum too. Worth the drive! I’ll definitely be back to try more!
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