Although we've been here several times, this is my first review for Roka Akor. Recently, we stopped by on Monday afternoon to celebrate my niece's recent graduation. We ordered the vegetable tempura, several rolls (4 of them), a few drinks, and a couple diet cokes, and the skirt steak from the lunch menu. The meal came out to be around $200! The service was excellent, the ambiance was calm and relaxing, and our waters were constantly being filled! All in all, it was a lovely visit to Roka Akor. read more

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Probably the best tasting happy hour you can go to in the area. My wife and I went between 3-5pm, make sure you check the website for accurate HH because I don't think it's all days. Here's what we got: Spicy tuna roll: 4.5/5 Assorted sashimi taco: 5/5 Hamachi Serrano roll: 5/5 Pork belly: 4.5/5 Escolar tataki: 6/5 - I could eat this everyday Lychee martini: 5/5 Service was quick, and no given great atmosphere and ambiance. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Went for lunch with my favorite peoples What a great time + great food! Service was lacking but we still had good time! Snake head wagyu was on point! I love the chirashi and scallop rolls wish it had more scallops given the price and all! Loved the sides with lunch special read more

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The busy atmosphere had a nice vibe, I like the open kitchen concept. Service was very attentive and cocktails were delicious. The food was outstanding we had a couple appetizers, teriyaki chicken and two rolls. Everything was fresh and tasty. read more

Roka Akor is hands down one of the best happy hours and overall restaurants in the area for Japanese food lovers. Everything with tried on the menu especially the sashimi tacos were amazing. The lychee cocktail was one of my first drinks postpartum and was so good - lived up to the hype. We were pleased with bartenders recommendations and quick service, overall would definitely come again. read more

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Get the omakase! Aka trust the chef. If you have the time, and it's in your budget, highly recommend this option. This restaurant had been on my list to try for awhile, but was waiting for a special occasion. My husband and I came for our first anniversary dinner. Service was spectacular from our server. I am blanking on his name at time of review. He took the time to explain the menu and was super friendly. We decided to go with the omakase menu. I am trying to be more adventurous in my food. We enjoyed fish, shrimp, sushi, pork belly, steak, and dessert. I will say that I was not a fan of the bone marrow or hot pot soup. However, with all of the variety, I left full. I also recommend the blood orange margarita! read more

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We stopped in here for dinner on a Saturday at about 5 PM and did not realize that reservations are recommended so there were no tables available, but there was room at the bar. We went ahead and sat at the bar, ordered a drink started with a couple apps and had a wonderful evening. We ended up ordering a maki and Nigiri platter for dinner and everything was beyond delicious including the flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Service was fantastic as was the ambience. Drinks were on point - we will be back for sure with friends! read more

Roka Akor - Oak Brook - Blood orange margarita - highly rec! - Japanese Near Me - Oak Brook, Illinois

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I would probably go 3.5 but I'll round up. The menu had a nice selection and the wait staff was good. Overall the meal was good not mind blowing. For the price point, likely wouldn't be back but we ordered: - New York strip 8/10, cooked past my request for medium rare but good flavor - mushrooms 9/10 surprisingly good! - corn 8/10 good but nothing to write home about - calamari 7/10 decent flavor but just not my thing - bone marrow 8/10 very good. Good price for the amount - scallop sushi ... idk how to rate this lol it was very unique. We were both like hmm i think i like it - Sea bass 4/10 this was very lackluster If I came back, I would prob try another cut of steak and and the bone marrow and mushrooms. read more

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Overall very happy with our visit to Roka Akor! We snagged last minute reservations for 6pm on a Saturday night and enjoyed every second of it. We were seated right away and the entire waitstaff was very friendly, helpful, and attentive. They really go the extra mile and make small talk and remember your name. We started with the butterfish tataki from the cold plates. It was a solid starter - very light and fresh with a little bit of crunch from the asparagus. Then we had the wagu beef and kimchi dumplings. These were a bit hit. After the hold appetizers these were a good heartier option full of flavor. For our mains, we split the poached lobster roll and the prime bone-in ribeye. These roll was so fresh and very pretty and the steak was a very decent portion and very tender. They get extra bonus points from me because they cut the steak into slices! Our waiter also brought us complimentary drinks as we waited for our mains to come. read more

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My friend brought me in for a fun lunch. She makes a weekly lunch stop and now I know why. Everything was fantastic. Her favorite server Lee took great care of us. He was personable, fun and professional. He knew the menu well and made great suggestions. The dumplings were so full of flavor. Our ramen bowls were filled with veggies, noodles and layers of spices. Our desserts were fantastic. My Uber Pot de Creme is my new favorite. The dining room is modern and spacious - the perfect stop after working up an appetite after shopping. The atmosphere, cuisine and service were all elevated and perfect. Thank you Lee! read more

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Roka Akor never disappoints! Delicious food. Great service. If you don't ask to sit at the grill, you are missing out. read more

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Wonderful first experience here for dinner. I made a reservation beforehand and was seated immediately. Everyone was extremely friendly and passionate about their place of work. I appreciated the waiter's recommendations and pairings. The atmosphere was a mixture of cozy and upscale. I loved the fusion between a casual sushi place and an upscale steakhouse. The drinks were phenomenal with a unique palette of flavors. The food was fresh and cooked to perfection. I love the added touch of the steaks being precut to reduce the need for steak knives and cutting my own meal. The sauces were flavorful and added an incredible taste to the already delicious food. I can't wait to go back and highly recommend. read more

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Upscale Japanese dining at the Oakbrook Center offering steaks, seafood, and sushi. Hit this spot during the week for a nice little lunch date with the wife and thought the food was excellent. They do a prefix lunch set meal which includes a nice soup, salad, and tasty wagyu and kimchi dumplings. I ended up trying the chirashi bowl which was fresh and delicious. Service was prompt. 'Til next time, cheers! read more

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We so wanted to LOVE This place because the website and menu was great. We went for my daughter's send off dinner for college. The good: The dumpling appetizer, the salmon carpaccio and spicy tuna roll were all delicious. The dumplings were very good. But the meals weren't great. They were good, but for the amount we paid it wasn't up to the level. My wife got the rib eye and it was really chewy. They did take it off the bill and she got a filet which was tasty. My daughters both got the sushi and while good, it wasn't better than other local places for half the price. My son and I opted for the Omakase. This, I think threw the waiter off as the timing of things could have been much better. We did enjoy 4 if the six courses it came with. The sashimi was bland and the tuna neck was really dry. However the beef with bone marrow was DELICIOUS. The staff were pleasant but our waiter was slow and never even asked a few of us if we wanted another drink. For five people we spent 600 with no alcohol. I would like to try it again sometime, but there are other options. read more

My sister has been raving about this place and so I had to check it out while I was in town. It did not disappoint. We sat at the bar and had their lunch special but everything was superb. The person serving us was warm friendly and really made us feel comfortable. So nice to see a fancy place have an inviting service. For my lunch special, I tried the hamachi maki and my sister had the three sashimi with crispy tuna rolls. The lunch special comes with a perfectly dressed small salad, miso soup that's refreshing and one of the best beef and kimchi fried dumplings I've ever had. The mains were a feast for the eyes. I thought my maki rolls were fine but the sashimi and crispy tuna rolls were excellent. I especially enjoyed the salmon, so melty good. I can't imagine any dish on the menu being less than stellar. The food, presentation, setting and service were all five stars. It is your special occasion dinner or your treat yo self lunch. I thought it was fantastic! read more

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This is one of my husband and I's favorite restaurants! We love the ambiance, the amazing service, and the incredible food! Our favorite thing to do is the Omakase meal, we've done the Signature and Decadent options and equally enjoyed both! Each dish is so perfectly crafted, and truly some of the best food we've ever had. In addition, every dessert is also good, but the Ube Pot de Creme has a special hold on me. read more

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Had an impromptu date night here right before the holidays. I was very impressed with the quality of food plus the variety. We each had 2 maki rolls and shared / tried each other's food. We each had a miso soup and shared the ube pot for dessert. It was a very nice experience we hope to repeat soon! read more

Heartbroken to say goodbye to our favorite milestone spot over a hidden fee Roka Akor in Oak Brook has been our absolute favorite restaurant for years. We celebrate milestones here several times a year, and last night was supposed to be another special memory, celebrating our oldest child's 16th birthday. As always, the food and service were excellent. We were a party of 5 and ordered our usual: the Chef's Choice Signature menu (which is $115 per person). We fully expected a bill around $575 before drinks, tax, and tip, and we have always been more than happy to pay for the quality experience here. That all changed when the bill arrived. Management has started adding a sneaky 3% "operational fee" to the check. To be clear: This is not a gratuity for the hardworking staff. The fee itself was taxed. We were expected to tip on a total that included this random fee. Nowhere on the menu, at the host stand, or by our server was this fee ever mentioned or posted. Discovering a hidden surcharge at the very end of a high-end dinner ruins the entire evening. It feels deceptive, offensive, and completely beneath a restaurant of this caliber. If your operational costs have gone up, just raise the price of the steak or the tasting menu. Don't try to slide a hidden tax past loyal customers at the end of their experience. We loved this place, but out of principle for how they are choosing to do business, we will not be back. Such a disappointing end to a 16th birthday celebration. read more

The food, the service the ambience It was all great! We had the Wago dumplings, which were amazing and the dynamite scallop Wall. Also delicious. I was sitting at the sushi bar and kept smelling the steaks so I had to try one. I'm still waiting for it and I only expect the best. read more

Stopped by here when we were in the area. Luckily we were able to get seats cause it got busy shortly after. We ordered the toro nigiri and the hamachi with Serrano. The toro was delicious, they melted in our mouth. The hamachi was pretty plain and underwhelming. For our entrees, we had the lamb cutlets and Chilean sea bass. The sea bass was perfectly cooked with a nice crust on it. The accompany herbs and sauce complimented the fish a lot. The sauce was acidic in the most perfect way to amplify the fish flavors. My husband is in his lamb chop phase right now and it was perfection. He had ordered medium well, but honestly it was still so juicy and soft it felt like it was still medium. The lamb itself was really well flavored too and not gamey at all. The red sauce it came with, which I assumed is some sort of gochujang sauce, was really good with it! We also used the Chilean sea bass sauce with the lamb chop to give it some acidic flavor and it also went really well with it! I would come back for the lamb chops. read more

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Located in a mall, expect to pay city prices for dead average quality. The allure of this place is that you can gather a group of friends, family, and have a great time. But do not expect great food quality or taste. We went with a group of 5 and got multiple dishes to share family style. Crispy squid: aka their calamari. Came with a mayo based sauce, sprinkle of jalapenos, and a side of lime. Tastes exactly like what you would expect. Spicy edamame: edamame with spice? it wasn't spicy at all. Wagyu beef and kimchi dumplings: tasted like regular dumplings. i don't think most of us could even tell there was kimchi or that this was any special kind of beef. Crispy rice with spicy tuna: Again, if you've ever had crispy rice (deep fried lump of rice) and spicy tuna from any poke bowl, this is exactly what you imagine it to taste like when combined. Robata Chilean Seabass: I personally did not like the ginger jalapeno sauce but couple of the other people at the table did. Skirt steak: Inconsistent cooking. 60% were medium rare, the other bites were medium. Fingerlings potato: Just make your own homemade fingerling potatoes. Nothing special here. Brussel sprouts: topped with bonito flakes. Solid side dish. Japanese mushroom rice hot pot with truffle: They had shimeji and enoki in it. This actually stayed more consistent with the Japanese fusion theme in my opinion. They took a Japanese rice dish and made it into a congee/risotto (whatever culture you want to insert here) with stronger americanized flavoring and topped it with truffle. Got all 4 desserts available that day: chocolate cake, seasonal deconstructed caramel apple pie, seasonal ginger pomegranate crisp thing (sorry I cannot remember for the life of me what it was... but i didn't like it), ube pot de creme. My favorite by far was the ube pot de creme. If you like taro milk tea, this is your dessert right here. It's like taro milk tea and creme brulee had a baby. Overall, if you're shopping in the area, and you want a casual place to grab lunch/dinner, this is an option. I think I would have given this place a 2 star but the rest of the crew thought it was a 4 star and the ambiance was good so I compromised to a 3 star. read more

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Food was delicious and the service for a large group was great. Went there for a business dinner and drinks were fast and good, wine selection was good. Overall a great evening. read more

Visited on 2.3 during restaurant week . They had a dinner deal and you received every appetizer and one entree . The food was exceptional along with the ambiance . The setting was beautiful slightly dark in the outdoor seating area. The service did feel a little rushed being a first timer , but I appreciate the urgency with making sure the waters were topped off or needing anything by the staff . read more

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We had the 'decadent' omakase for my birthday and though the service was good (tad slow), we the food was just alright. It's our second time at Roka and the menu change was not great. The sashimi quality was disappointing. The lobster tempura turned out to be just a tempura of the claw, which felt misleading for an omakase at this price point. The beef didn't even taste like wagyu (I don't think it was) and it was poorly cooked, blue in the middle and overcooked on the outside. Apart from the corn and the meat, we didn't get anything else from the robata, which was really underwhelming for what should be a diverse omakase experience. To make matters worse, they've removed the miso glazed cod and the ube pot de crème from the menu, which were my favorites from our first visit. Left disappointed, especially for what was supposed to be a birthday dinner. read more

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My wife and I had an amazing anniversary dinner at Roka Akor. Since it was a special day, I requested a window seat and the greeting staff was happy to accommodate us. Our waiter did a great job explaining the menu and highlighting his favorite dishes. After briefly reviewing the menu, we settled on the Dynamite Scallop Roll, Crispy Shrimp, Glazed Pork Ribs, Prime Ribeye, and Brussel Sprouts. The portions are definitely shareable between 2-3 people. I would recommend 5-6 menu items if you're hungry. Our waiter gave us some anniversary bubbles, along with some housemade watermelon sorbet. We added the Ube Pot de Crème to complete our meal. We will definitely return to dinner service to try more sushi rolls and different cold/hot plates. read more

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Yummy food, colorful, hip vibes! Fast service. I liked my steak a lot, it was very flavorful and tender, I liked the sauce too, it did add to the meat. I also liked the apps, the Japanese fried chicken, eggplant karaage were both very yummy. read more

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Roka has been on my list of restaurants to visit and I am glad I was able to during restaurant week. The menu provided a great introduction to all the delicious dishes they make. In addition to the restaurants menu, our group ordered additional appetizers. The Bone marrow and tuna belly sashimi were some of our top favorites. Overall, the food was phenomenal! The staff was welcoming and gave us a great experience. I am definitely will be back. read more

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Really this is a 2.5 rating, ordered the dumplings, salmon, Brussels sprouts, some wagyu, potatoes, 2 shots and 2 mixed drinks. Total came out to be $312. If you're a foodie like me you'll be disappointed with this place, although the ambiance is nice and the service is great, the quality of the food isn't. I had high expectations and was disappointed. Wagyu shouldn't need a dipping sauce for it to be tasty and unfortunately this needed a little more. The salmon and the dumpling were good but everything else didn't deliver. I had high expectations being that it's in Oak Brook and the ratings seemed high. Really I could have just cooked dinner at home, one thing I hate is spending money on food that isn't worth it. I'm assuming the people giving it a high rating don't really cook... or use seasoning. Other than that, place looked nice and servers were very friendly. Def won't be coming back and that's a bummer because I lovveee food and love trying new places. read more

Roka Akor - Oak Brook - Wagyu Beef and Kimchi Dumplings - Japanese Near Me - Oak Brook, Illinois

This past Saturday I've had lunch with a friend of mine and it was both our first time attending this establishment. The ambience is amazing and our server Julian was very attentive and wonderful. The wine/ whiskey selection is beyond impressive. I've had the maki with miso soup which is really good. My friend had a poke bowl, salad and the kimchi dumpling which was also amazing. I would definitely recommend this place and return! read more

Roka Akor - Oak Brook - Japanese Near Me - Oak Brook, Illinois

We love going to ROKA in Oakbrook! The sushi is amazing and their staff is always so friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable of the restaurant. We love sitting at the BAR and eating and having amazing selections of wine from Marisa. I am a lover of fine wine and she is the only person I absolutely trust to choose my wine for me. She has never steered me wrong and my husband and I are always made to feel so comfortable by her. She is an asset to your restaurant! While your menu and your sushi are unmatched anywhere, in my opinion (and I travel for business a lot and eat a lot of sushi across the US) the combination of that and Marisa is the reason we will never stop coming to ROKA! read more

Went with four friends on a Saturday -- two of us did the omakase while the others ordered from the menu. We were excited for the chef's choice, but the experience was disorganized. Courses came out with little explanation, and our server rarely checked in. The pacing was inconsistent, and at one point we waited nearly 45 minutes between courses while watching him walk past our table multiple times to chat with others. The manager was very visible throughout the night but never stopped by our clearly displeased table. We watched him have long conversations with what appeared to be regulars and share uncomfortably long hugs with a few women -- even rubbing one woman's back every time he passed her table. It was strange and unprofessional, especially while other guests were being ignored. The food itself was good, but the service and atmosphere made it hard to enjoy. It felt like if you're a regular, you get all the attention -- but if you're new, you don't exist. Disappointing overall. read more

This is my first time at this location at the Oakbrook mall. We actually ended up sitting at the sushi bar counter because we did not have a reservation for Friday night early evening. Sitting there did not disappoint as we literally saw sushi and dishes being made right in front of us, which was incredible to watch Our server Lee, whose name is also Carmen was absolutely out of this world fantastic!!! he was super attentive very helpful. Had great recommendations and is really the perfect mindset and attitude for a hospitality role. You can tell from the pictures we ordered a few dishes, as well as were given a complementary amuse bouche. Everything was super tasty. We finished everything left nothing behind and the Ube pot de creme did not disappoint. I would definitely come back here again, whether for lunch or for dinner however, now I know I need to make reservations. This was Ible and I am so sorry. I have not been to this location. Let alone to any other Roka in at least six years. And even even better perk is that food tax here is 7% as opposed to eating at its other location at old Orchard and paying 13.25% read more

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Food was great service was awesome, I will be going back. The drinks were awesome. The manager was totally on top of his staff which were really all working together. A very tight staff. read more

Went on a spontaneous mommy-daughter date after shopping. We were seated right away and I liked how the kitchen is open so you can see the cooking. My daughter had a real treat watching it from time to time. All of the food we ordered was exceptional. We started with the toro tartare and wagyu beef dumplings. I liked the tartare a lot and the taro chips give it a nice crispy bite. We liked the dumplings a lot! We also ordered the hamachi chili roll that was a little spicy. I enjoyed it! Lastly, we got the pork belly which my daughter devoured. Service was great and we had such a nice time. read more

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Lee was such an amazing server he made the experience so lovely!!! I will definitely return!!!

Updated review - Did not realize they have a separate lunch menu. The glazed pork ribs were fabulous. Very tender and juicy and had the right amount of sauce. Teriyaki salmon was very good. Juicy and flavorful. Will be back for more. read more

My husband and I were looking for a nice place to have a date night and we booked this restaurant with absolutely no expectations whatsoever. But even if we had had high expectations, this would have blown them all away! Best Asian meal we have ever had. We did the decadent tasting menu which I thought would be just small tasting plates. Wow, so much food...and incredibly delicious too. We started with salmon, beef and scallop appetizers, on to the freshest sashimi we have ever eaten. Wrap the sashimi in the shiso leaf, a waiter recommended, it's like Japanese mint and cilantro rolled into one. We did and it was incredible. Then we had sea bass in a jalapeño sauce and charred corn which was so delicious and spicy! Then this rice porridge thing with 4 Japanese wild mushrooms and truffle...it was so comforting and savory. Finally we had wagyu filet mignon with a spicy ginger chili sauce or truffle aioli to dip on the side. The meat was so tender and the crust super crisp and smoky. It was phenomenal. The dinner ended with desserts,,,green tea sorbet, chai spiced ice cream, berry pot de creme and a chocolate lava cake with chocolate pearls inside topped with vanilla ice cream....best chocolate lava cake I have ever had. Our server, Lee, was wonderful. He was very enthusiastic, great with recommendations, friendly, and even told us all about how the fish was shipped from Japan to our plates in just 24 hours! Lee also remembered our names which I thought was a super nice, personal touch. Next time we're in town, we will be dining here. read more

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My family and I absolutely love Roka in Oak Brook. We have been customers for years and love the consistency of the service and food quality. However, in my most recent visit, Roka made a small change that really frustrated me. It actually made me feel like they were trying to get one past customers. I ordered a coke and it came in a small bottle, 2/3's less the size of what I had ordered numerous times. I get the bill and it's the same price ($7 which is ridiculous). I asked the waiter and he looked ashamed. Management really wants to risk a regular customer over such petty greed? I hope this is a mistake but based on the waiter's reaction, it's management driving this. Super disappointed! read more

Sunday lunch 12:00. Let's just say I don't like to wait to eat and I don't want to plan ahead. Walked in, sat and ordered quickly. I got the lunch special. Miso soup, salad, and cod. $24. I loved the enoki ( I think) mushrooms in the soup. Nice touch. The ginger salad was light and mixed greens. Not the plain iceberg. Just. Little different. The cod: loved the miso sauce in the side with black sesame seeds and a bowl of rice. As for the wagu dumplings and wagu maki: our son gobbled them up and said it was so far his favorite Ali he has ever had. If you are looking for large amounts of food, order more. The lunch portion is smaller. I walked out satisfied and wanted a Love the decor and the bathrooms are clean. Friendly service. Happy we tried at lunchtime. read more

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This was our third stop in our "safari dinner" (a different course at four different restaurants) - all at Oakbrook Center. We chose it because we wanted sushi but had no other expectations. It's definitely higher end, with prices to match. Nice decor. Good menu selections. The waiter and helper were a little too high energy for the vibe but they got the job done (this is an odd side note, but we found it odd - when we finished with the oysters, they wanted to clear our plates, but I had already put one of the Nigiri pieces onto that same plate. The helper (sub-waiter?) actually took my chopsticks out of my hands, picked up my Nigiri, put it on a new plate and then swapped the plates out, and then gave me back my chopsticks...) Oysters were six for $25 so a little on the high end. Pacific Ocean. But they were drowning in soy sauce and something else you couldn't even taste the oyster. But a nice presentation. A very large serving of the tiger prawn tempura but the peppercorn sauce was so thin it was difficult to get any of the flavor on the shrimp. Nigiri was very nicely done. $100 (not counting tip) for two including one Sake and one water. Good but not in a rush to go back. read more

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