very calm would recommend great customer service left very full clean bathroom fast service

What a beautiful escape to a Chicago that rarely shows itself anymore. This restaurant has a wonderful family restaurant feel and everyone from bussers to servers are just extremely kind. The rare aesthetic is just sticking with me, I felt so calm and at peace here. The complimentary tea as well added to this! The food is out of this world. My friend and I love to get a variety of dishes and got quite a few vegetarian dishes at our meal. Everything was just incredible.The hot bean curd with pork was a standout. read more

Peking Mandarin - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We shared: 1. Tangsuyuk 2. Jajangmyeon 3. Spiced Fried Chicken Wings 4. Mongolian Beef 5. Spiced Fried Pork Great portion size and flavors across the board. Jajangmyeon sauce had better black bean flavor than other versions I've had in the city. None of the meats were dry. Breading a little much on the fried pork dishes but still tasty overall. No issues with service. Cash and Zelle only. read more

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One of those local hole in the wall, Chinese places. Big portions, so come with others to share. Loved the black bean noodles, lollipop, chicken wings, and the Mongolian beef. Their seafood and vegetable dish was quite tasty as well. Service could be a bit spotty at times, but we got taken care of as we needed. Definitely not a place where you feel rushed to leave your table, so great for a friend catch up. FYI - cash only. read more

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I'm always rooting for the mom & pop shops or hole in the wall discovery but honestly this was one of my worst experiences in a long time. It was freezing single digits outside and when you step in the restaurant hoping for some warmth it still pretty cold inside. The bathroom was the worst. I felt like I was walking into the outhouse because it was the same temperature as outside & my felt terrible having my daughter pee in the cold. Onto the meal itself - Cheese crab Rangoon - the wonton wrapper so damn thick Peking fried rice - okay and nice amount of toppings but it was mushy Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken - chicken seems to be over-fried and the sauce just wasn't working for me. Great seas is so much better Cha Chuang Mein - what I was looking forward for be most but it was so flavorless. My daughter loved it because she loves plain food Then the service is nonexistent. We tried to get the attention but it seems like they purposely avoid you. We needed water, more napkins, our check to pay!!had to repeat our requests more than once. I can't put my trust in social media anymore because these 'influencers' be sending me off read more

Peking Mandarin - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have to be honest here... I was skeptical of coming to this place based on the appearance outside, but I saw so many reviews and tiktoks here that I had to try it. DO NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER! The food was fantastic and well above my expectations! This is my second time ever having cha chiang mein, and I didn't enjoy it the first time I tried it somewhere else. This place does an amazing job with the cha chiang mein! It's warm, filling, and packed with flavor. You're paying only $10 for a huge bowl, and you can share it. The spicy fried chicken was also something I was skeptical about since I don't like my wings too saucy but the sauce was unbelievable! It gave it a nice kick and hint of sweetness. The crab rangoons were filled and crispy on the outside. They also gave us some yellow radish, kimchi, onions, and sauce on the side as a snack. The service was a 5/5 as well! The lady was extremely nice when taking our order, and they other bussers that checked in on us if we needed rice or boxed to-go. I loved the ambiance in general as well. It feels like you're in a movie with the zodiac placemats, old chinese decor, bar/diner style seating with booths, and just the idea of mainly cash. I'm definitely coming back here again to try other dishes! read more

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Jjajangmyeon blacker than your ex's heart. Tangsuyuk with a crunch that shatters like your heart from that same ex. I'm really just heart broken knowing it's kind of a trek for me when I'm in Chicago becuase as good as the public transpo is in Chicago I'm in Lakeview and getting to Albany Park takes a while. The outside looks like a Chinese Bodega in Queens NY, but the inside looks like it's been family owned and operated for decades, which it has, that sort of authenticity can't be faked. With a menu bigger than Cheesecake factories, these chef's run multiple wok's and a mise en place that puts french chefs to shame. When you think Chinese/Korean, it's quite a 50/50 split with not one more prevelant than the other. When you think Korean you think banchan and kim chi's and pickled daikons, so in that regard it's more Chinese. Apparently they have gotten some fame from social media, but I've been coming here long before that. Most of the patrons are Asian and all staff are, so your service is gonna be matter of fact. It's not so authentic that there are social mores to the tea pouring. They take your order quick and the food comes out quick, usually everything at once which is great for family sized meals/orders/parties versus date nights where there is conversation in between. I feel like onions, green onions, carrots and peppers are in everything. I wish they had more xo sauce items becuase you can tell all their sauces are slurry enhanced. Still delicious, bold, thick, great. Prices are very affordable and the portions are plentiful. Fried rice is heavy on the msg and light on the soy sauce. They velvet all their beef, but the beef don't be beefing heavy, but their pork and shrimp are all succulent, soft, juicy without all that bi carb. Their szchewan sauce is something I dip their chicken lolipops in on top of their already sticky glaze. I tend to cut and add vinegar to a few of their dishes which is great. It's M&P, down home, local. It's a place to bring your family, it's a place to stock your fridge with leftovers. It's the places metro cities are built on, despite it not being in Chinatown. read more

My friend saw a post on instagram and wanted to try the food. It was delicious. I would definitely recommend this restaurant on that alone. When we arrived we were told to sit anywhere we wanted; our order was taken right away and the food arrived soon after. The service was great up until my friend and I checked out. This restaurant does not take credit cards, only cash and zelle. That was not an issue. The issue I had was that one of the employees, assumably the manager or owner practically hovered over the table while my friend was actively trying to pay the bill. I kind felt as if she thought we going to try to run out the door without paying. She even asked if "we lived around here?." My friend and I are both black. I normally don't play the race card but I have to wonder if what she did this is something that is done with every patron who visits her establishment. read more

Peking Mandarin - Mongolian Beef and black bean noodles with pork. - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Peking Mandarin Restaurant is easily my favorite Chinese spot in Chicago. Their black bean noodles are hands down the best in the city. The Mongolian beef, sweet and sour pork, and gang pong gi are all incredible--just as good as Great Seas used to be back in the day. The service was fantastic; our server offered helpful recommendations that really elevated the meal. The only drawback is that they don't accept credit cards, so come prepared with cash. Stepping inside the restaurant feels like a trip back to the '90s, bringing a wave of nostalgia and good vibes. If you haven't tried PMR yet, you're missing out. The food speaks for itself--you'll be blown away. read more

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Great hospitality and good food. Great to have this close by so you don't have to travel to Chinatown! read more

Peking Mandarin - Egg Rolls - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Feel conflicted about this place. Typically if a place has bad service, at least they're efficient. This place is neither efficient nor has good service. You're more of an after thought. The food is excellent though, like 5/5. I get why so many people order takeout from here, then they don't have to deal with the slow, in-efficient service. There were 3 people working the floor on a Tuesday night and it was packed. I'll talk about the food first, because it really is noteworthy. The spicy fried chicken wings were perfectly crispy and the sauce was bomb. Definitely recommend getting this item. The spicy seafood noodle had the most delicious broth that had depth and was full of flavor. The noodles themselves were not that impressive, but the soup and the veggies and seafood in the soup were amazing. Ok, now about the service experience. It took quite some time before someone finally came over to take my order. Next, I had to ask 3 times in order to get a take out box. The first man totally ignored me. The Second lady just brushed me off. Then the owner finally directed the Second Lady to pack my food. When I went to pay, the owner printed my bill and then went off again to do tasks around the restaurant while I'm left standing there with the cash and bill. I asked the Second Lady if I'm good to go, and she said no. The owner was just going around the restaurant not at all interested in finishing up my bill. When I finally got her attention, she gave the approval to leave the restaurant. I was flabbergasted. I was going to give this restaurant a 5 even though the service was subpar, but this experience was definitely a unique one. It's like bad, inefficient service is just part of the overall experience here. read more

Peking Mandarin - Spiced Fried Chicken Wings - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Excellent "hole in the wall" wonderful people and just great food. Large portions for a good price. My first time trying jjajangmyeon and I haven't stopped thinking about it. Best sweet and sour pork in the city? May have dethroned my other personal favorite. They provided us with complimentary hot tea when we walked in on a cold winter day. From the booths to the decor to the service, and food it felt like one giant hug read more

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Made the trek north in hopes to find some jajangmyeon in Chicago and happened to find this place in my research. This feels like your typical Asian restaurant and combines both traditional Cantonese dishes and Korean dishes as well. I think the food is overall pretty decent and will fix your cravings of either Chinese or Korean food, I wouldn't say it will blow your mind, but will do the job. The jajangmyeon itself was very filling and was generous with the pork portions, the black bean sauce on the jajangmyeon definitely glistened in the light. The Chinese dishes I tried were average however and they provided very average banchan (kimchi didn't taste that fresh/good) read more

Peking Mandarin - Sweet and Sour Pork - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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First, the food was very disappointing. The jajangmyeon noodles were soggy, and the batter on the tangsuyuk was not what I expected at all. Second, they only accept cash and Zelle, yet they still charge tax. I have family members who run small businesses, so I understand what it usually means when a place asks for cash-only payments. That part honestly didn't sit right with me. Third, why are customers being pressured to tip? A tip should be given when someone is satisfied with the service. Even if I had forgotten to leave one, coming back after the payment to say "you didn't leave any tip?" is not appropriate. I was with friends who don't speak Korean and just wanted to avoid making the situation awkward, so I gave one anyway, but it honestly felt like being forced to pay extra. Overall, it was a pretty bad impression. read more

Saw this spot featured on a YouTube food vlog and stopped in to give it a try....Boy, I wasn't disappointed....Good prices along with big portions and everything was delicious. I had egg rolls, noodles with black bean sauce, sweet & sour pork, beef and broccoli, spicy chicken wings. All of it was fantastic and nicely seasoned without being overly salty like many Chinese restaurants. My only complaint was that I wish the noodles in black bean sauce was warmer in temperature but maybe it's meant to be eaten at room temperature so I'm not taking anything off the score for this plus it tasted great regardless. I will definitely be back to try other dishes. Btw this sweet & sour pork here was some of the best I've ever had with a red sauce that focuses on more sour than sweet...They also do a sweet and sour with brown sauce on request. read more

Note that this place only takes Zelle or cash. I saw this place on social media and was looking to try it as I have been craving korean chinese food. I got the sweet and sour pork, crab rangoons, and the jajangmyeon. I did not like any of them. The sweet and sour pork breading was too thick that I felt like I was eating a bit of uncooked dough and it was not fried crispy as it should be. The crab rangoons did not have flavor. Finally the jajangmyeon needed salt and more of the black bean paste flavor. It definitely tasted watered down and made for people who haven't had korean chinese food before. The service was okay. read more

Peking Mandarin - Sweet and Sour Pork - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I tried Peking Mandarin after seeing it recommended on TikTok, and overall it was a good experience. I ordered the black bean noodles, lollipop chicken, sweet and sour pork, and crab rangoon -- definitely way too much food for one person, but I wanted to try a little bit of everything. They packed everything up nicely for me to go, which I appreciated. The sweet and sour pork was very good and super crispy. I got the sauce on the side to go, and it held up really well. The crab rangoon was fresh and flavorful. The black bean noodles and soup were good too -- it was my first time trying them, so it wasn't something I'm used to, but I'd say they were solid. The lollipop chicken was also very good, nicely seasoned with a flavorful sauce on top that reminded me a little of a Hispanic mole. The ambiance was chill. I went around 1:00 pm (they open at 11), and it was a relaxed vibe. Service was good, and I appreciated that they had Spanish-speaking staff as well. It's cash only, so keep that in mind. There was a small moment where the cashier thought I was short on payment, but it turned out I had actually given extra because I left a tip. They were just double-checking their totals, which I understood. Overall, the food was good, reasonably priced, and I would try it again. read more

This place blow our expectations! We thought it was going to be a lot more unhealthy but not the case at all! The food was light and not grease at all. It was the best Chinese food I had I think my entire life. The staff is beyond kind and took care of us. The tea and cookie service was lovely! The ambiance was classic 90s nostalgia, Chinese buffet. Very clean. We order the Beijing beef which melted in your mouth and tasted like candy. The fried eggrolls are large for an egg roll, filled with delicious cabbage, and meat. Not greasy at all just crispy. The sweet and sour chicken not on the bone was delicious as well, the chicken was lightly breaded and had a lot of meat inside it. The portions are very large, and it was great because we got to bring home leftovers, which we destroyed the next morning. I didn't end up taking any pictures because I was so into the food I forgot but trust it was worth it! read more

My favorite spot for mongolian beef and lollipop wings! Service could be better but always worth the wait read more

Omggggg...I found this place on TikTok for good Chinese food in Chi. I am a Chinatown lover and always get food from there but wanted something different today and omg I was not prepared. I only got two dishes and both of them were amazing!!! The beef in szchewan sauce was to die for, holy moly, even the veggies in it were amazing. It comes with rice and lord, it's so worth it. The jjajangmeyong or the black bean noodles were to die for too! Amazing, was a little lukewarm but still so yummy!! Deff would recommend if you're in town! read more

Peking Mandarin - Beef in Szechwan Sauce - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Mongolian beef was the best thing I ever experienced next to the Gyoza. Very affordable, quiet, cozy and amazing service. Will be back. read more

Peking Mandarin - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So we have been seeing this place on social and had to check the pardon my ignorance, but the black noodles. So we went. It was like 20 minutes from where we were so we decided to hit it up. There is only street parking. So we parked and went in. I feel like everyone and their mom was there. It was packed! But got a table after waiting a few. I will say service is slow. But the food makes up for it ! Everything we had the noodles and the beef and two chicken dishes were so good! Prices were good as well. We were stuffed! If it wasn't far from my house I would come back very often. But I will be back again in the future. read more

05/27/24 - My sister, her friend Tom & I went to this place by mistake thinking it was Great Sea Restaurant . I've eaten at Great Sea before for my nieces birthday. Naturally I was taken aback not remembering the layout. Duhhhh different places. Both Peking Mandarin & Great Sea are on a southeast corner only about 3 blocks apart. Both have yellow & red signage which further added to the confusion in our befuddled mind. We went here after a Memorial Day Service @ Montrose Cemetery for the Japanese veterans (my Ma & Pa are also resting in this section). I unfortunately missed most of the ceremony. While we sat there for over 15 minutes before I finally asked if we could order (slow service). While we sat there waiting it seemed like they were very short staffed but had a decent amount of people dining there as well as a pretty brisk turn around on carry out orders. Peking Mandarin is a $CASH$ only restaurant or Zelle (NO CREDIT CARDS). Peking Mandarin as the name suggests is a Chinese restaurant w/a twist. They seem to have a mix of small dishes like banchan in Korean restaurants We ordered 2 dishes Mongolian Beef (came w/no noodles?) & kung pow chicken, (neither dish was anything special). The also gave us a few dishes of Banchan. The kimchi was EXCEPTIONAL and the best that I ever had. They also had a dish w/takuan a yellow radish dish named after a Japanese priest & pickled onions. read more

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The black bean noodles were a bit bland, slightly sweet but lacking in flavor and depth. The lollipop chicken wings were really good. The restaurant was a bit older and has a certain retro charm to it. The spicy sichuan beef was also lacking in flavor, a bit spicy but not very savory, the sauce had a similar consistency and taste to the black bean noodles. The wonton soup was simple and a good appetizer. I liked how big the wonton wrappers were. Lastly, the combination fried rice was delicious! The servers were kind and attentive and all worked hard to push food out in a timely manner. I wanna come back and give it a second try. I came before closing, and I feel like I should have come earlier in the day. read more

Peking Mandarin one of my favorite chinese-korean spots in the city. They have delicious food and their portions are generous. I tried their black bean noodles, absolutely delicious, sweet and sour pork (yum), fried rice (yummy), and sweet n sour soup. I heard that their chicken wings are their specialty, will try that next time and report back. This restaurant only takes Cash / Zelle so come prepared. read more

Pretty decent Korean-Chinese food. Finding parking is inconvenient but it's Chicago. They only accept cash or Venmo

Food was worth the wait! It was a busy night so it took some time to get seated, but everything we ordered was delicious.

I'm sorry - for those who think Peking Mandarin, aka Ah Sa Won, serves up some solid or tasty Korean Chinese fare, you ain't a real hanguk saram. This place was not good before, and it continues to not be good. It isn't a hidden gem, it isn't a Korean family favorite, and no legit Korean families have ever patronized this place as a repeat after their first experience. The food here is of low quality, flavorless, and, basically, inedible. People rave about their 'bargain' prices, but there's a reason for this. Service isn't that great, either. Don't believe others who are giving this place hype - save your taste buds and your $. Metered street parking is available on and off of Lawrence. +awful KC fare +metered street parking available read more

Food: food in the pic are my must orders, satisfying set Service: friendly staff, not talking too much but always read my mind when I need sth Ambiance: home style 3 for $50 read more

Peking Mandarin - Lollipop Spiced Fried Chicken Wings; 3 Seafood Chow Ma Mein, 3 Seafood Cha Chiang Mein - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food was delicious, but the entrees were mislabeled, causing us some difficulties. Otherwise, we were pleased with the meal, and would consider ordering from there again. read more

Champon (menu says "chow ma mein") This is what you get here. That's the exceptional dish. jja-jang-myun is ok. sweet and sour pork - good, but more bready than it should be. spiced fried chicken wings (kan-poong-kee) - skip it. very heavy on the gochujang. servers will try to teach you Spanish lol. A bit odd, but quite friendly. Cash only! Or Zelle. In 2023. Well then! read more

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A hidden gem in an unexpected area! This was my first time at a jjajangmyeon restaurant in Chicago. As soon as you walk in, there's a sign that says CASH OR ZELLE ONLY. The inside is decorated with a bunch of trinkets and Chinese decorations, and there's a lot of seating. It wasn't busy when I was here so service was fast. The staff are friendly and nice! There were two ladies that spoke Korean, both were so sweet. The food is also very reasonably priced. The menu has a lot of different options - with Chinese and Korean-Chinese dishes. My friend and I both ordered the jjajangmyeon and shared the kkanpoong shrimp. The jjajangmyeon was good - a generous amount of vegetables and pork in the jjajang. I wasn't a fan of the kkanpoong shrimp sauce, but it was very well fried. Their kimchi was pretty good! It was really nice to find this jjajangmyeon restaurant in Chicago. Given the reviews, it seems that there are many others to try out here. I'll definitely be back to try their jjamppong! read more

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I loved my seafood soup with noodles! I even found some scallops! A great meal on a cold winter day. read more

Peking Mandarin - 3 Seafood Soup - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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What a delicious place! It's so unassuming but the food is legit. We got jajangmeon, sweet and sour pork ) classic pairing! and also the chicken wings. so yummy! Note that they are cash only or Zelle.. read more

My love and I recently had lunch at Peking Mandarin, a Chinese-Korean (or is it now Korean-Chinese?) restaurant located two blocks west of the Kimball Brown Line stop. We came to eat on Sunday at 11AM, and we were the first customers that day. They were doing fairly brisk business on this late Sunday morning, with a decent number of dine-in customers and some take-out action as well. Note that they are cash only and they also take Zelle, so bring your dollars if you want to eat. They have two dining rooms, with the main one featuring booths and a diner-style counter with seats, and the second room with tables and chairs. The old-school interiors are festooned with colorful Asian-style artwork and decorations. We have eaten appetizers before at Peking Mandarin (crunchy crab Rangoon and pot stickers) but this was our first full meal here. I enjoyed a large platter of spicy-sweet-saucy wings, which were accompanied by white rice. I ordered the wings "medium" and they were closer to mild, which was fine with me. The wings were crispy, and the sauce was tasty. Even my love liked the wings, and she does not do spicy. She enjoyed her dish of shrimp fried rice, and we both had leftovers. We also had a pot of tea, glasses of water, and fortune cookies. Service was prompt and efficient. read more

As a Great Seas loyalist, I've never actually gone to Peking Mandarin for the many years I was around Albany Park. But I am super glad I finally had the chance to try it! Up front, this place is cash only or through zelle. Service can be a bit slow on refilling water, but they are very quick on getting you your food once you order. The inside looks like a pretty typical Chinese takeout spot, but as a lot of the Chinese spots in Albany Park, they're actually Korean owned so you'll see a lot of Chinese-Korean mixed dishes. Ok onto the food... Spiced Fried Chicken Wings - The lollipop wings were solid and had a nice sweet touch to it, but I think I prefer the ones at Great Seas a bit more since they're a bit spicier. 3 Seafood Chow Ma Mein (jjamppong) - This was great. A good mix of seafood, noodles were cooked perfectly, nice spice to it! Cha Chiang Mein (jajangmyeon) - I prefer Chinese style janangmyeon, but as far as Korean style goes, this was very solid. Definitely veryyy saucy. If you get this as takeout would honestly recommend saving the leftover sauce and mixing it with some noodles you have to extend the fun. Mongolian Beef - Solid! Nothing exceptional, but good sauce/flavors. Maybe a bit on the saltier side, but perfect to eat over some rice. Sweet and Sour Pork (tangsuyuk) - Probably my fav dish of the night. We probably should've asked for sauce on the side, but really this dish is amazing when served fresh. The batter they have with the chicken works perfectly and the sauce really brings it over the top. Definitely a must try if you visit. Overall, really solid! I believe the total was just under $80 so pretty reasonably priced for how big the portions were. Would definitely recommend checking it out during your next Albany Park tour! Definitely gives Great Seas a run for their money! read more

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This joint has been around for many many years and I just realized I never wrote a review. We come here when we're in need of jjajangmyun and tangsooyook. The crab rangoons were jam packed w cream cheese and crab flava. The tangsooyook came out piping hot and yummy. The jjajangmyun was also tasty. Heads up, they only take cash and zelle! read more

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It's hard to find restaurants that have Cha Chiang Mein. I've been craving it from my childhood, and this was a decent one. I didn't like the meat, and it was a bit saltier than I liked, but the noodles were bouncy and good portion. The Spiced Fried Chicken Wings were a tad sweet, but they had a little Smokey char. I've tried many Homestyle Bean Curd dishes, but they were never what I wanted. The Stewed Bean Curd was the closest to what I've been looking for- plenty of veggies and great quality. Complimentary radishes and kimchi were a nice surprise. read more

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Greeted and seated right away, food took a little while to get to the table after we ordered but it was worth it. Food was absolutely delicious. We ordered the Sweet and Sour Chicken, Mongolian Beef, and Fried Rice. Restaurant was clean and had a unique look. Will absolutely be going back next time I'm in town. The Cash and Zelle only was/is not a deterrent cause the food and service was so good. read more

Not as good as Great Seas or Great Beijing... The sauce for the lollipop chicken was weird. We didn't like it. The chicken drums were also kinda small The sweet and sauce pork was better but my husband thought it was too sweet. There were some chewy pieces of pork too. read more

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