Friends brought me here after seeing a little "footy", so it was Saturday night around 8pm. We didn't have to wait that long to be seated, which was a plus! There are a lot of gluten-free choices and I went for the Mex Bim-Bap (baby spinach, quinoa, shaved cabbage, shredded raw zucchini, guacamole, charred sweet corn, pickled cabbage, pico de gallo, black beans, crispy paprika chickpeas, tortilla strips, lemon vinaigrette) and Chargrilled Corn for a starter (back in the states we call it 'street corn'). Both were really tasty and while you can add chicken, fish, beef, pork or falafel to the Bim-Bap, it was enough for me as is. They have alcoholic drinks (I had a bourbon, neat) and the atmosphere is fun and lively. You place your order at the counter after you've been seated and they bring the food and drinks over to you. read more

Fonda Mexican - Mex Bim-Bap - Mexican Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

There's lots to love about Fonda. It's quick, the menu has a bit of everything on it to keep most groups happy, the payment system is quick and easy and the food is fresh. This particular outlet is massive, with mountains of seating to look after the lunch time crowds. Get here bang on noon if you want a table right away, otherwise you risk having to line up and wait a little while (though the speed of everything probably means you won't wait long). You can also pre-book for groups of 12 which is great if you want to come during the lunchtime rush with a big group of colleagues. Weekends are a bit dead. I went for a Sunday dinner and our group of 10 had no problem getting seating at 6pm. The selection of drinks is small but the house-made Agua Frescas and the cocktails using local spirits are fun and inventive. The Horchata is delicious and worth a try if you've not had it before. If you're a mad Mexican fan then the food at Fonda will let you down. There's not a lot of punchy flavours and some dishes fall short (the beef taco wasn't that great - the topping bitter) while others are surprisingly tasty though far from authentic (fish taco I'm looking at you). The chicken quesadilla is just plain boring if you ask me, but it great for kids or plain eaters. My advice? Choose wisely and go with the approach of sharing a number of dishes for a bigger variety of flavours. read more

Fonda Mexican - Colourful, fresh and kind of healthy! - Mexican Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I really like what Fonda does. As far as casual dining goes, they are a tasty and reliable option. This is not the place to get nit-picky over authenticity, it's just good local Mexican, fast. Now with their third restaurant open, it's pretty clear that Melbournians are picking up what they're putting down. Their burritos and quesadillas are delicious and cut into portions, which makes them ideal for sharing if you want to try a few things on the menu. I'm really into their chicken and quinoa salad with black beans too - awesome lunch option that does not tasty as healthy as it sounds. I like the corn chips, but their guac and salsa portions are a bit stingy and hard to eat in the tiny dishes. Go the chipotle chips instead if you have a hankering for sides. I do have to say that their hot sauce is not hot. I notice that the "F-You" hot sauce has been relabelled at the Flinders Lane spot, maybe to make this one a bit more family friendly. Either way, it's not offending anyone as far as heat goes. They do have a range of cocktails and booze if you want to slow your dining experience a little - but for me it wins as a CBD lunch spot or tasty dinner if quick or casual is on the agenda. read more

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Fonda serves Tex-Mex cuisine (Americanized Mexican food). There's burritos, tacos, salads (but basically burrito bowls). The food was pretty average - things I could make at home for much cheaper. The alcoholic drinks looked good. The food took very long to come out. We waited at least 40 minutes for the food to come out. It was very busy and the kitchen is understaffed during meal times. But, I'm not sure if the bowls should take that long to make since it's a deconstructed burrito with pre-prepared items to put on top of either rice or quinoa. read more

Fonda Mexican - Winter lentil bowl - Mexican Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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The newest edition to the Fonda family has opened. Like their other restaurants you can expect quality Mexican fare. Portions are generous and full of fresh ingredients. The space has been well crafted with bright warm colours, warm wooden tables and chairs and some very funky lighting. I really like the section at the front of the restaurant that faces the street. It has brightly coloured chairs and the windows open up to let in outside air. They also have added some cute little outdoor seats for smokers. The tacos are delicious. I shared my food with a colleague to sample as many different flavours as possible. Highly recommend the fish. The wagyu shin was ok but a bit too oily. We also had the pulled pork quesadilla which was very tasty. This place would also be great for after work drinks. Cocktails average around $12, they have delicious huge jars of fresh juices for $6 as well as a wide variety of beer and of course tequila. Best of all you can have a few snacks to stop you getting too tipsy. It's so huge that groups can be easily accommodated. I've managed to come here twice already and the place hasn't been open a week. There were a few teething problems forgetting bookings and not seating us very comfortably, couple of forgotten orders and slightly burnt quasedillas but overall it is a great space service is friendly and I'm sure these will get ironed out. read more

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Great place for a some yummy, almost authentic, Mexican. I try to avoid being that travel snob who regales crowds with boring stories of my food experiences in ACTUAL Mexico, but since it's been brought up now... Go the chargrilled corn here and it'll take straight to the streets of Mexico City! Yum! The quesadilla was also a great choice by me, but rather then the avocado-ish dip it came with, I would have been happy with some good old fashion guac and salsa. The chipotle sauce that comes with the chips is also a winner! A deliciously moorish winner! The atmosphere is great, with fun, funky colours and furniture everywhere! The only downside was the music and heat were both up a little too high, even for Melbourne, there's no need to roast your guests! Overall great for casual drinks or a quick bite before heading out to something else in the city area. read more

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I have had this place bookmarked 'to try' for yonks and when my partner suggested we go here for a recent date night I yelped with delight! We got in as early as we could and being a party of two we were seated straight away (a great releif on a chilly night when you just want to be in warmth and stuffing your face with goodness). We ordered the DIY tacitos, fish tacos and a burrito. In hindsight it was probably just a teeny bit too much but in my excitement I wanted to try as much as I could. The food was delivered as soon as it was ready which meant some crafty maneuvering by the waiter to get it all to fit on our table. I loved the DIY tacitos which we started with and were then able to pick at in between bites of other dishes. The tacos were fresh and tasty as was the burrito. All things service related were spot on with quick, friendly and efficient service. read more

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I had a fantastic meal at Fonda. The market fresh fish burrito was amazing. It had such a zingy taste to it with fresh crunchy battered fish nestled between avocado, salsa and quinoa. We also got a side of corn which was juicy and flavoursome. If this place could improve the service they would definitely be getting 4's and 5's. Unfortunately it lacked a little. It felt as if the staff were all new, everything was just that little bit slow. We ordered cocktails and while my friends came out just after entree, mine too the entire meal. I was sitting just over the bar so could see them making it. It looked like no prep had been done so the entire drink was from scratch. Fresh, but I was thirsty! When it did come however it was absolutely delicious! I felt like I had an amazing meal that was actually quite healthy - although I could have just been fooled by the quinoa! I know I'll be back, I just hope the staff can work on a few of the setbacks by then. I've been tossing up between a 3 and 4 rating for a while now. It's a 3 because I think it lacks a bit of authentic Mexican flavour and the service was a little off. While my meal was great it was small. Get some share plates! The space is large and would be great for groups of a catch up without worrying about the crowds. read more

Fonda Mexican - Drinks menu - Mexican Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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Look. If you have that 'if you "simply dislike avocado, onion, coriander, lime or chilli, Mexican may not be for you?"' in your menu, and then serve up Korean/Japanese/Tex mex fusion, I'm not going to be impressed. Mexican is for everyone, but this isn't Mexican. If I want a taco, I want you to make the best taco. I want the best carne asada you have to offer, I don't want kimchi, "Japanese mayo" or shiitaki mushrooms in it. I'm not going to go to a Korean or Japanese restaurant and expect them to make me a taco. They even have a "black bean falafel" burrito on offer and "Mex-bim-bap." I'd rather a ceviche, tamale, pozole or chile relleno that I can't seem to find anywhere in Melbourne. You don't have to be Taco Bills boring, but I'm sorry. No. This is a mess. As a Mexican-American, really disappointed with Fonda. A friend, a Mexican national also went and told me "meh". If you like Mexican, Fonda may not be for you? read more

Fonda Mexican - Really? - Mexican Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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It had me at Mexican! I've heard great word of mouth about this Mexican chain and have been advised that I must check out! CBD shop opened and it gave me reason to head in and check out the new location. I entered here on a Friday, and with such surprise the place was BUSY, people everywhere. I instantly felt like I made the right decision! Ordered food at the counter and proceeded to my table. I was left waiting at my table unfortunately for over an hour waiting on food, with a few attempts to ask waiters of my food whereabouts! Finally after receiving I left with abit of disappointment and gave my concerns to the store. What happened from here was amazing.... I received response from one of the Owners shortly after, and he instantly restored my faith. He not only offered me the chance to come back into the store but also gave me an opportunity to really understand his sincere apologise on what happened. When I returned it was just beyond amazing. Staff had everything organised, super friendly and I was greeted with such respect. The food served was amazing. From the Fish Taco's (A must try) to my watermelon & strawberry drink. It was all Devine. I will definitely be returning to Fonda and highly recommend this place as a taste of Mexico! read more

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Get in my mouth! Yummm, have the Mex Bim Bap (deconstructed salad) with pulled pork. I could eat that for a week and not get sick of it! I took a reviewers advice and had the spanked gin basil smashed cocktail but felt it was all ice and not enough good stuff. $15 gone in 4 sips. The decor is great in this warehouse type restaurant. You wait to be seated, remember your table number and order at the front. We were served our food quite quickly. I'll definitely be back, although I might try their Hawthorn location next :) read more

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For our team Xmas lunch last week enjoyed some team bonding time with the team we decided to head down to Fonda in the city. For a group of 13 we were allocated the time slot of 1.45pm...so we had a lot of hangry peeps. We ordered the banquet for $30. I really enjoyed it as i got to try the most ordered dish the fish taco as well as the beef tacos, chicken and pork quesadilla. They were also able to make adjustments for any dietary requirements also. I washed this down with a bottle of Sir Viza pale ale and Pacifico (which i recommend as it was really refreshing). Being so late in the day the restaurant was pretty much empty so we got to enjoy the ambience. Overall I really enjoyed it all the tacos had a nice unique taste and were fresh, however for some of the boys in our team did find the portion size small and were still hungry. I will be back for sure. read more

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Located near Parliament station, the restaurant is predominately a walk-in restaurant, taking group bookings for 10 or more only (other Fonda restaurants may take bookings for smaller groups; check their website). We arrived at 6:30 on a Thursday night and secured a table for 5 very quickly. Noting that the restaurant itself still had tables free as we were leaving. Ordering is taken at the counter meaning split bill is possible if going with a group. While we shared the quesadillas (came in four pieces), tacos are individual servings. I can't say I'm a connoisseur in Mexican food but the food was definitely tasty and appetising, without being greasy, with a nice selection of refreshing drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Combined, makes an excellent location for a catch up with friends or family. Dishes that make up this review: Pineapple and mint aguas frescas ($6) Pulled beef brisket taco ($7) Seasonal mushroom quesadilla ($15) Grilled chicken quesadilla ($16) Chipotle chips ($8) Tortilla crisps ($9) Recommend: Grilled chicken quesadilla Tacos Follow me on Instagram for more photos: @fo0die read more

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I've never been a fan of the self-serve concept but this was the only Mexican food nearby so we decided to check it out. Don't try asking for flour tortillas because they don't exist. The food was really nothing special and definitely overpriced for the quality and quantity provided. read more

Fonda Mexican is the ideal place to dine with a group of friends for a laid back Mexican Meal. Dishes are ideal as serving plates so you can order lots of everything from the menu and share amongst your friends. The Flinders Lane location is quite a large set up and has a nice feel to it. I like the frozen Margaritas! So yummy. Its definitely not THE best Mexican I have ever had but its worth a try if you have a large hungry group. read more

Too be honest i'm not a huge fan of mexican food so i went to Fonda in the city not expecting anything amazing and to be honest it was on par with what i was expecting. I had a terrible experience at Fonda on Chapel street previously, so i tried not to let that prejudge what this experience was going to be like. The food is okay, the drinks are fine probably the best part of fonda for me personally is the decor. We were there to celebrate a friends lunch and in the end it was only the wonderful company that kept the day from being a write off for me. read more

Melbourne, we (actually I) have a new favourite Mexican restaurant! Similar to Mi Corazon, I sure did take my time before finally trying Fonda and all I want to do now is go back. I can't stop thinking about their chopped beef burrito! Located on Flinders Lane just before you reach the Treasury Gardens, Fonda is your casual, spacious mexican restaurant. Cool tunes playing in the background, the place has a modern layout, it's fresh and vibrant and the staffs are very nice. I also had the mexico city pork quesadillas, which was really nice. We went for a late lunch on Sunday, which worked out for us as it wasn't busy at all. Similar to the other places in this neck of the woods, expect to have to wait for a bit before you can start enjoying your dinner. I'm glad I've finally experienced Fonda and I can't wait to return. For those of you who haven't been there yet, do it. It's pretty good! read more

My date and I visited for dinner on a busy Saturday night. The venue was surprisingly not too busy and we were seated immediately. Menu items include your usual Mexican suspects such as starters like corn chips & salsa and delicious salads, etc and soft tacos etc. We had the chicken salad & tacos & Mexican beer. Was totally yum. Offers GF & vegan options which is pretty much standard these days. Service was pleasant and attentive. The fit-out is nice and bright but we thought it looked fairly busy with all the wooden beams. Will definitely visit again. X read more

Yes I am a mad taco fan. I can never have enough. Therefore, I was most excited when the third Fonda Mexican opened within 50 metres of my new workplace on Flinders Lane. First things first - the space is fantastic and funky. Visualise lots of bright colours, open areas, bar space and about three times the size of the Windsor location. The menu is pretty much the same as all the other locations, and I am a huge fan of the guac, fish tacos and chips with chipotle at all locations. And I had the same here. Yes, tres adventurous. Here's a hint - if you're looking for a quick and easy dinner on a weeknight, pop in before 6.30pm and you'll be guaranteed a table. Any later than that and you'll have to queue up with all the other beautiful young things wearing Gorman and identical bored expressions. I will be back here, as tacos, cider and bright decor fill my heart with joy #swoon read more

After reading many a review/blog about this place, I was very excited now that I was able to finally check Fonda out! I went just the before lunch hour and ordered a burrito. It was quiet at the time, and whilst it's known for filling up I still believe I was able to get a good hold of the Fonda experience. There were two things that really stuck out to me during my visit. Firstly, it felt as if I was visiting a quality suburban restaurant right in the heart of the city. The fit out feels very natural and is quite relaxing, giving a rather tranquil feeling which I'm sure would be a nice difference to many of the other places in the city (I don't know what it would be like in its peak however), and a great place to let your hair down when needed. The second thing I loved, and its such a simple thing, but it appeared they made their own burritos and tacos fresh. I saw the fresh dough being placed into steam presses, and beautiful tortilla appeared. It made eating the chicken burrito that much more enjoyable knowing everything was made there. The use of quinoa for a filler in the burrito was a pleasant point of difference too. Whilst I did have a simple meal, and wasn't able to try out the other meals and make the most of the Mexican themed bar, my first experience was great and I'm very keen to go back to try out more! read more

If only Yelp would allow me to give this place 6 stars. I don't care about the service or the decor or anything else quite frankly. All I care about is the green goddess salad with pulled pork. I am drooling typing this. It's heaven in a bowl, honestly. read more

Yumm. Okay I've left this review super late, subsequent from my unhealthy delay in actually visiting their new outlet. I didn't have any boring run of the mill mass pumped out tex mex misappropriations of bland food. All of the food I had came to be quite enjoyable. The Fish taco (Barramundi) I think came with a really zippy sauce, but each of the other tacos, held their own in terms of flavours and balance. Elsewise, you're covered well for snacks or more substantial items. Fonda may not have the longest menu, but the food holds up and is importantly tasty. It's a cute little fit out and design inside, and generally all works well. And it's not too pricey, which means a casual lunch in a nice place will do nicely. read more

So this reminded me whole heartedly of a school canteen dining hall, in a really good way. Much crisper, cleaner and polished look, but the chairs were very school like and the colours were very matching to that theme. The food was exceptional! I had the beef burrito which was packed with flavour, contrast and some kick. The spice made it for me tho, it wasn't outrageous and didn't over power it, but by golly did it complete it. We had some hot chips with chipotle sauce which were awesome to share and completely sufficed between two. The pull pork quesadilla wasn't my favourite dish of the night, how ever it was still reasonable and I'm not going to take anything away from them for having a minor imperfection. Another highlight was the craft beer that accompanied my meal, the pale ale was delicious and refreshing. Coriander is definitely something worth being put in more beers, it's a real treat! Overall this place is fantastic! I would highly recommend it to one and all for a great Mexican dinner. The price was good and between two of us we paid around $55 which I think was good for the quality of the meal. read more

I came here with a group of people on a Saturday night. It's a fairly popular restaurant so there was a bit of a wait for a table (initially we were sitting at the bar behind the kitchen area, which was pretty uncomfortable so we decided to move). On the plus side, you can get drinks - I had a lychee margarita, which was weird but not horrible - but I wasn't in love with the food. It's not that it's not authentic, which I don't care much about; I just found it to be a bit bland. My beef burrito had about as much flavor as a saltine cracker. It wasn't seasoned very well and maybe the use of quinoa instead of rice might be contributing to the blandness as well, I'm not sure. The other plus is that it's pretty cheap. But I'd rather pay a bit more for something a bit more tasty. read more

Trendy Mexican, a 5 min uphill walk from the cbd. Great casual dining with hip vibe. Food is quick , great and full of flavour. Look out for - chicken tacos. Slow cooked awesomeness - juices ... Watermelon and strawberry A must if you come to Melbourne read more

Very nice faux Mexican fare. I had the fish burrito and it was extremely tasty indeed. Not cheap at $15 but few would care. Service was brisk and friendly. Surroundings are nice and the fit out is impressive. My only issue was the noise level which was a tad difficult. Not for old ears i'd say. But, a good lunch venue and I'd happily return. read more

Fonda Mexican - Fish burrito - Mexican Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Ordered the beef burrito, which was advertised as containing "chopped beef". Unfortunately this meant dense, flavourless hamburgers, roughly chopped up. Unsure if this is common practice here, or if they just ran out of proper beef and had to substitute, but it is unacceptable. Won't be back. read more

What started as a great experience with Mexican food has turned into a huge disappointment. What was great about Fonda had gone and what is left is disappointing. People must now go because it is popular or because they don't know what good Mexican food taste like. Even the old Mexican franchise serve better food than what is served here. The great cactus tostada that use to be served is gone. What is left is over priced slop and extremely disappointing. Hopefully like some place it will recover or I'll be happy to never go there again, but with the popularity I'm sure they will continue the over priced rubbish. It must sadly have support as they keep opening new locations. read more

We had intended to go to Mamasita yesterday, but were disappointed to find it's closed until January 3rd :( .. anyway, having craved Mexican for 48hrs prior, we sought another place nearby and this popped up. From what I gather writing this review/searching the place, Fonda is a Mexican restaurant chain in Melbourne (didn't realize at time). The one in the city being a cute little upstairs spot, but you order and pay at a counter and then the items get brought out to you. There's tacos/burritos etc, all the normal tex/mex fanfare. Which we ordered. Within the group, I tried the fish, pork, chicken, beef tacos ($7 each), all of which were excellent, the mushroom quesedilla ($14), and a beef/quinoa burrito. We also ordered classic margaritas, which were ($18 each). All the food was excellent and very yummy, but the margarita was ridiculously tiny for that price. I'm talking about 90ml per drink, and to add to that, the waitress spilt one a bit putting it down. We had nice food, but the pricing in this type of place just seemed completely off. It is priced as a semi-upscale Mexican restaurant, when in reality it's more like Chipotle with alcohol. Especially the ordering at the counter part, considering the prices. I don't think I'd return. But if you're around and just want a taco (no drinks/cocktails) or two, yeah, it'd be good to step in, as food is yummy. But overall experience was kinda thumbs down and just not worth it. We spent about $120 amongst us, and for that price, could've gotten so much more in so many other places. read more

This place was buzzing as we enter the venue. It looks cool, casual and full of energy. Servings were quite big, between the 3 of us, we had the tortilla crisps, 2 tacos, a chicken salad and a quesadilla. It was more than enough! read more

Fonda Mexican - Mexican Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Rude staff and disappointing experience We payed $14 for 2 tiny seperate tacos which arrived on the same plate and we assumed it was one meal as we weren't told otherwise. We asked where the other one was and we were told that the 2 seperate tacos were just presented on the same plate and were different meals. We were very confused, and the staff member made us pay for another one and proceeded to go out to the back and it looked as though she was complaining to the other staff members about us. We were then rudely served the next taco, glared at whenever they walked past, and ignored when we asked for them. read more

Went to Fonda for dinner and it wasn't so bad. I didn't visit Australia expecting to find incredible Mexican food but we happened to stumble upon this place. I recommend for a quick casual bite to eat. read more

Pretty delicious. A great place for a spot of lunch and not too pricey either. We had one of each of the tacos and the tortilla chips. The fish one was the best! What really makes this place though is the cool interiors with brightly striped seats and interesting walls and ceilings all with a spacious feel. Will definitely be going again:) read more

Fonda Mexican - Tacos!! - Mexican Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

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Traveling solo is always fraught with anxiety in eating out alone, or worse, in the hotel restaurant. Coming to Melbourne it is positively sinful to go and hunt down a little gem of an eatery, and find one I did. At the spring street end of Flinders Lane, Fonda is welcoming and quintessentially Melbourne aka cool. I wasn't particularly hungry so ordered the corn for a starter and the pulled pork quesadillas. Both delicious and I'm not even a Mexican fan. I've only scored it a 4 star purely because my No 1 favorite, chin chin is a few doors down and I feel like I'm cheating on a lover. Listen if you're traveling alone or up for some good Mexican, come to Fonda. read more

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I have been to Fonda now 3 times. Every time the staff at Fonda have been extremely accommodating, helpful and friendly. But not only are the staff great, the food is amazing. They manage to pack so many flavors into every dish. Personally I have had the adobo chicken in my quesadillas and burritos, and it is amazing. Finally, the restaurant is very fresh and new. And it is well maintained. I love the open kitchen and the restaurant isn't too noisy. It is busy but it is well spaced out. All round a great experience that I would recommend to everyone. read more

This place has a unique Mexican style food which give you the distinct taste. Though I have went there once, it gives me a good first impression that I would be back again to eat their food. read more

This is not mexican food lol it's more like healthy western food using nachos and tortilla.. even the dips are European .. lack of good cheese or well made tomato sauce with Mexican spices.. not authentic Mexican food to be honest. My dish was dry and drinks were enjoyable and the dips made it worst. 6 $ for a small tortilla!! Very bad calling it Mexican .. never again. read more

We went with a group of around 10. The chefs selection menu had enough food for us all but it severely lacked in variety. We had four rounds of the same dish - fish tacos. Service was a bit hit and miss, the drinks also took a long time. Could be a different story if the restaurant wasn't packed. However, a place with its reputation should know how to deal with lots of guests. read more

I like Fonda for it's fast and cheery somewhat high-end Mexican food. Although I always forget they don't do table service. I wouldn't recommend the salads just because this isn't somewhere you should go to get salad. The tacos and burritos are good, particularly the fish ones. And the horchata is excellent. read more

A great place, very contemporary with fresh delicious Mexican food. Come early for a spot at lunchtime. Service is reasonable during a packed lunch time crowd. read more

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