Went this weekend with my adult daughters. Some of the best food I have ever eaten. The atmosphere was great, drinks were wonderful and the weight staff was great. I highly recommend Ruse to anyone in the St. Michaels area. Can't weight to be back in the area so we can go again. read more

We were there two times. Trust me this is a great spot for dinner. Andrew and Sean at the bar we fun to talk to and were versed in whiskey from Scotland. The food was over whelming. We ordered too much and took a lot back to the room. The had rolled sushi was fun and worth a return visit. We came for the oysters and was happy with the selection. The MDs were my fav. My wife got an assortment. Happy as a clam. The pork rolls were very tasty. And the sourdough bread was a nice fresh and crusty. Only mistake we made was cheese and radicchio made for a throw out as my dairy allergy and wife's ruffage allergy made it a no go. Drinks were great. Ambience was cool no noise to notice. read more

This establishment is consistently good. We mainly sit outside but the interior is really nice. Staff is consistently professional and everything comes out quick! There is a full service menu and also a shared plates card that you can order certain quantities of things like Oysters for example. I've never had a problem with seating but in all fairness we come during non peak times like late Sunday or early Saturday dinner. Great energy and the music selection is a great vibe. read more

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Delicious food and lively vibes. Excellent service! We would have returned if we were staying in St. Michaels another night. read more

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Had an incredible first anniversary dinner - not only was the food amazing, the entire wait staff was so welcoming, warm, fun, and took amazing care of us to make our anniversary dinner so special and absolutely memorable. The food was incredible - fresh, quick, simple yet so delicious. We will be back as much as we can, for the food and the staff!!! Thank you all!! read more

Ruse - They took great care of our pup! - Salad Near Me - Saint Michaels, Maryland

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I can't wait to return. Make a reservation well in advance and maybe make two because you'll enjoy it so much. We tried a little bit of everything on the menu - the bread, oysters, cucumber salad, scallops, fries, rigatoni, and two desserts. Everything was incredible - creative yet comprehensible and decent portions for a more expensive restaurant. If you go during the 4-6pm window you'll have access to happy hour with discounted house wines and a few dishes. Jordan was our server and was great at convincing us to try certain things that later became an obsession (cucumber salad). Great lighting, lots of bench seating, and quick service. I'd go out of my way to eat here again and would recommend everything on the menu! read more

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Wow! What an experience. I planned a surprise bday weekend for my SO and took him to Ruse as our final meal - it did not disappoint. Coming from someone who is not easily impressed by fine dining, my SO said it was the best meal he's ever had. We had the scallop crudo (chef's kiss), an array of oysters, the corn ribs and pea salad (both were unreal), and I went with the trout and he had the burger. The trout was amazing. So fresh and perfectly cooked but honestly the burger really stole the show. It was the perfect cheeseburger - like something I remember from my childhood but somehow better. It tastes like nostalgia. Overall, amazing spot with great vibes. Money, time, and calories well spent. read more

We had a terrific dinner at Ruse in St. Michaels. We had been staying at the hotel and enjoying breakfast there for a couple of days, but dinner was really the highlight. The seafood was excellent. We loved the oysters and the tuna sushi that you roll yourself--it was fun and delicious. The potato chips with Iberian ham and manchego were incredible and one of the most memorable bites of the night. Service was outstanding. Our waitress was attentive, friendly, and made the whole experience even better. The desserts were also fantastic. The labneh ice cream was completely out of this world, and the olive oil cake was excellent as well. A couple of small notes: the endive salad wasn't our favorite because it was covered in onions, which wasn't mentioned and unfortunately I really dislike onions. Also, the pork chop tasted amazing but we did notice toward the end that part of it was a bit undercooked. That said, overall the meal was excellent and we had a really great time. Definitely a memorable dining experience in St. Michaels. read more

We come down to this small and lovely waterside town every six months or so for some calm and solitude, and have been amazed and delighted by the consistent quality and creativity of this welcoming restaurant. RUSE is a top-notch place that would be highly rated in any large city with a vast range of dining options. The Chef is creative and has a brilliant hand. The diverse offerings on the menu would please any palate. I can't imagine coming down to the Eastern Shore without planning to dine at once at RUSE. read more

The good: Absolutely love the ambiance! It's coastal chic that manages to be elegant and upscale without being pretentious. You can show up in jeans and a t-shirt or a cute dress and be suitably dressed regardless. As far as food, the banana bread with maple tahini butter is out of this world. I could have had 12 slices. The not so good: I got the farm baked eggs, which was basically a shakshouka. It was both too hot (as in heat - it took a long time to cool enough before I could eat it) and the eggs were almost raw. I like runny eggs but this was on the line of unacceptable. Also, the drip coffee arrived lukewarm, as if whatever pot they had brewed it in was not able to keep it hot for very long. read more

Ruse - Baked farm eggs - Salad Near Me - Saint Michaels, Maryland

From start to finish we enjoyed our meal!! Our second time there and it was even better than before. Menu is nice and easy to read. Nice wine list also and full bar. Our server was charming and warm, very busy. Had the roasted tomato and yogurt appetizer and we really loved it! Hubby loves their burgers so he was happy it was still on the menu and from the looks of other tables, it was a favorite for lots of people. I enjoyed the scallops with polenta! Oh Yum!! And for dessert a not to miss is the black cherry sundae, which we shared, next time won't share!!! It was terrific!!! Can't wait to return!!! read more

Ruse - The yogurt and roasted tomatoes and the wonderful homemade bread and butter. - Salad Near Me - Saint Michaels, Maryland

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Wow!!! My experiences today prompted me to write this review. We are staying at Wildset for our babymoon and read about how Ruse is the best restaurant in St. Michael's. We tried the happy hour first and sat at the raw bar- the roasted oysters and spring gem salad were delicious and this was some of the the best service I have ever received from a server while sitting at the bar! We then went later that day to try dinner and we were in for a treat! The lamb ribs, wild mushrooms, and smoked trout were all so delicious. The trout in particular was cooked to perfection, crispy skin on the outside, tender meat inside, and the lemon caper sauce was delicious. I also loved the labneh ice cream, perfect amount of tangy and sweet with the rhubarb compote and crumbles. Brittany, our server, was so genuine and pleasant to be around, and enthusiastic about all of our choices. She gave us amazing service and was so sweet to even gave us complimentary non-alcoholic sparkling rose to congratulate us! My God, can't wait to come back to try the famous burger and shoestring fries! read more

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Amazing dinner experience. Enter the restaurant through a cute little shop. Dining area is intimate with a few tables outside. Loved several appetizers such as oysters, labor dip, Persian cucumbers and a tune tartare. Pleasantly surprised the entree were filling a read more

Ruse - Delicious martinis - Salad Near Me - Saint Michaels, Maryland

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We were told this place was a can't miss! We found out too late that we should have come for happy hour rather than a pricier dinner but that's ok- we were celebrating! The tostada was a little salty for our tastes. We both loved the burger and fries! The pork loin was pretty good! And the dessert was out of this world! The strawberry combined with the labneh from the soft serve machine combined flavors - topped with the chocolate shell to be probably one of the best desserts I've had in a long time. The cocktails are also amazing here! And I love that they will make you mocktails upon request too! Special props for also having a gluten free menu! read more

Ruse - Strawberry sorbet and labneh with chocolate shell and a birthday candle - Salad Near Me - Saint Michaels, Maryland

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Ruse is such a great dinner spot in St Michaels, after asking all of the locals this was a must! Everything was good and the cocktail I tried was very unique. Will return! read more

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My second trip down to Ruse and I couldn't be happier that I decided to come back. I asked my bartender for a lot of recommendations, and ended up starting with the potstickers, which had such an amazing flavor profile I was blown away. He says the team gets them all the time and I am so jealous. I had the scallops for my main course and again, was blown away by how amazing the flavor was and how perfectly they were cooked. I will say they had tomatoes with the dish and some just didn't seem cooked all the way, so I ended up pushing all of them to the side so I didn't ruin the amazing flavor of the rest of the dish. I asked him for his recommendation on what wine to get for this dish, and he let me try a few different options before I picked his first choice. I wasn't really into their dessert this time, they were both ice cream and I really wanted something more so instead, I had an espresso martini to finish off my night. Ruse is a beautiful restaurant and is connected to a hotel so the bathrooms are very clean and has a neat space. Would highly recommend checking it out. read more

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What a gem! Everything we ordered was a hit and it was so delicious we wound up going to eat there a second time during the weekend. Our server was very knowledgeable and even helped create a craft cocktail with mezcal that was exactly what we wanted! read more

I was expecting Ruse to be my favorite restaurant in the area but honestly, it's my second favorite. The food is good, service was very nice, and it's a beautiful restaurant. I just think it needs a bit more va boom to make it to the very top of my list. read more

We had a GREAT evening at Ruse. Made reservations for my wife's birthday. Greeted and seated promptly. Started with 1/2 dozen oysters. Then the tuna rolls, which were so much fun to roll by hand. Cucumber Salad and Cherry Salad followed. Main was the Blue Crab Caccio y Pepe, which was fantastic! The place is small, so reservations go fast. Overall, a great seaside dining experience in St. Michaels! read more

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The food was amazing!! My favorites were the strawberry and burrata salad, the scallop crudo, and the trout piccata. The smoked trout dip and roasted oysters were also great appetizers. What I like about this place is the freshness and quality of ingredients. All the flavors accentuated the seafood but the seasonings weren't too overwhelming. The atmosphere has a cute boho vibe. Service was attentive and friendly. read more

Ruse - Salad Near Me - Saint Michaels, Maryland

Ruse was a very pleasant surprise! The food was fabulous and the homemade ice cream for dessert was off the charts. I could have just eaten the appetizers and been happy, but I ended up sharing an amazing hamburger with my wife. We will definitely be back!!!!!! read more

I had dinner at Ruse with a friend last weekend, when I was passing through St. Michaels after a work retreat in Cambridge. The restaurant is located in the Wildset Hotel (which I'd love to stay in one day), and it's very beautiful. It has some bay/water vibes but also retains some history and character (fun fact: the restaurant is named for the "ruse" that tricked the British and saved the town during the War of 1812 - worth a Google if you don't know the history!). The service was great throughout our meal as well. We arrived a few minutes before our reservation and our table wasn't ready yet. But they pulled up some extra stools at the bar so that we could order a drink while we waited for our table. Then our server (once we were seated) was lovely as well - very sweet, very friendly, very helpful (she guided us through some choices we had to make from their incredible menu). Since it was just the two of us (and based on the recommendation of our server), we decided to order more from the raw bar menu than the dinner menu. We started with a half dozen raw oysters (they do sell them by the oyster, so you don't have to get a full half dozen of any you want to try, which is great if you're looking to try several types of oysters). Next up was their Spicy Tuna Handrolls, which was a really fun dish since it's set up for you to make your own rolls - they bring you sheets of nori, rice with a spicy sauce underneath, cucumber, and tuna. They give you some helpful advice and a sheet with a drawing on it (how to assemble) and then it's up to you! Fun and delicious (I loved that the tuna was kept so simple and fresh and that the sauce was under the rice). We also had their sea scallop crudo, which changes up seasonally but on that night was served with pickled cherries, making it unusual and interesting (still delicious). We also had their shrimp aguachile tostada with grilled pineapple, habanero, cucumber, and avocado, which I adored. The grilled pineapple was sweet and a great addition to the tostada with that spicy salsa and fresh shrimp! We ordered their scallop main to end our meal (really delicious scallops, cabbage, roe - another good dish!). Overall, the food was very delicious. (We had a few glasses of wine and cocktails, and these were great as well.) I had a great dinner at Ruse, and I know I'll be back. I just want to bring more people next time to get to try and share more of their dishes! read more

Sometimes you just know you are about to consume a top 10 meal of your life. And after meeting our server, Jordan, at Ruse last night, I knew that meal would be one of them. Our process started simple enough. We had been hoping to get to St. Michaels for some time to check out the vibes. We finally made the commitment just last week when a day off work coincided with an open day with nothing scheduled. When looking for accommodations I stumbled on The Wildset (story for another review). The Ruse was the in house dining option. Well, as a frequent traveler in my mid (early?) 50's, I scoffed at eating at the same establishment I'd also be sleeping. That's never a good idea! Right? But I looked at the reservations available (via Resy - clue 1). Plenty of availability. Like I could have had my choice all night. Meh. Did some more looking around for options and looked at Resy again a day prior to arrival in town. Now there were pretty limited prime time options available. Let me snag an 8:15 while here. That should work well with our overall timing of our day. Now I happened to look again later in the day and all reservations after 5 were now gone. Interesting. (Clue 2) We arrived in St. Michaels and The Wildset and were very, very impressed with the whole vibe. We also peeked into The Ruse and saw it was a very clean, bright, open space. And also very busy! It was 2 pm and plenty of staff were busy shaping things up for dinner service, which starts at 4 - I think. (Clue 3) Our reservation time arrived and we were immediately escorted to our table. The place was packed and every table was occupied by groups of various sizes. There are about a dozen or so tables. Jordan our server introduced himself and we talked about the menu and he gave us some time to review our options. We ordered drinks, mine was excellent - tequila and papaya I think, can't remember the name but it was Jordan returned and I had a question about two selections I was considering. The scallops or the trout. Jordan explained each dish far better than I expected, and changed the way I was leaning and went with the trout. My wife got the blue crab cacio e' pepe. Appetizers of oysters and prawns were delicious. Well prepared and full of flavor. The entrees were also delicious. The trout had the crispiest, most flavorful skin I've ever had on a fish dish. I usually don't eat the skin of any fresh fish because it's so blah - soft and meh. But this was wild how the chef got the skin so crispy but didn't overcook the tender fish. The blue crab cacio e pepe was also a winner. Cacio e pepe is a favorite of ours at our home restaurants and this was a little different. It lacked the "bite" of black peppercorn, but had such a delicious creamy texture and flavor and the blue crab was such a wonderful addition. It actually seemed like the crab had just been picked in the kitchen. It had a better flavor than most crab. I assumed it was just fresher than most crab I eat. Despite being completely full, we did share a desert of soft serve ice cream with strawberries and something else, lebneh? It was delicious, and light, which was perfect. Near the conclusion of dinner Jordan mentioned it was his first live night of service at The Ruse. I was shocked! His descriptions of the food all night had been perfect and very detailed. He used some food terms I had never heard before as well. Some foodie I am! Great work studying the menu and asking the chef questions Jordan! We grabbed a Miller High Life and an IPA and sat at the fire pit out back for awhile. What a great dinner! One of those meals where, if we return to St. Michael's, there will be little discussion on where we are having dinner! No pics, sorry, I prefer to act like I've had a great meal before. And I'm not an influencer! read more

my husband surprised me for our 17th wedding anniversary to this restaurant we have yet to go to. when making the reservation they asked if we were celebrating anything and he stated it was our anniversary. we didnt expect any special treatment but thought they would acknowledge it since they initially asked. pros: food was amazing. the chicken was out of this world and the white sauce was delicious. the burger was top notch and amazing. the atmosphere was gorgeous. service: HORRIBLE. flat tone, stood in front of us as if we were a huge inconvenience. took forever for us to get our drinks (sprite and tea). once the food came he never checked in to see if we needed anything, if the food was okay. when he did come over to clear plates my husband did tell him the food was great. had to ask for a dessert menu, and after about another 10-15 minutes he came over and said "do you want dessert". asked for check- with our check in hand, he went back and forth across the floor talking to other servers, behind the bar to the computer, to the computer by the kitchen door, then back to the other server station by the raw bar. only after my husband looked at him did he bring our check finally over. if you want a great food experience I recommend this place as top tier. if you want a full dining experience with exceptional service, I would go elsewhere. especially if you are celebrating a special occasion. read more

Wow and double wow. Follow me here, farm to table fusion cuisine that could easily be in a fancy European town but it lives in St Michael's. Ruse is not one style or trend, it's a surprising mix that doesn't try too hard, while ensuring the food tastes great and surprises you. Here's what we had: aguachile tostada (took me back to our last MX trip), oysters (good), chicken (I don't like ordering chicken at a restaurant, this is a MUST. Crispy skin, delicious flavor), crab pasta (So good, very rich), dumplings ( very good). Connor was great and very friendly! Service was 5 stars! Pro tip: off season you may still need a resy. Dogs allowed on patio. Get a resy always. We can't wait to come back! read more

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We came here for our anniversary dinner, as we were staying at The Wildset. Service - AMAZING. We were stuck in traffic on the way from Baltimore, so we called ahead and they were able to accommodate us a little later than evening and we really appreciated it. They also gave us complimentary champagne since we were celebrating. It was a really nice touch and made our evening extra special. Ambiance - We loved the casual nautical vibe, without everything being the typical blue & white color. It was definitely an intimate space however, so I would strongly recommend making a reservation well in advance. Food - also amazing! Our waitress gave us amazing recommendations. We started with the oysters and cocktails, following by prawns, and ending with the pork chop and scallops. The only thing we didn't love was the pork chop - it was cooked well but it was sweeter than we expected and I wish it had a sauce (felt a little dry bc it was breaded). Would strongly recommend any seafood dishes. Didn't have any room for dessert, but I'm sure it would be great as well. Our bill overall was about $250 - on the more expensive end, but worth it for a special occasion. Would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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Haven't had a meal this good in a long time! The Aphrodite oyster was so delicious I could have had 30 more. The whipped ricotta toast is A MUST! I gasped at first bite and have been daydreaming of it ever since. The cucumber salad is truly special and any fan of chili crisp and tahini will adore it. And OMG THE CHICKEN! Simple but perfectly executed. It burst with juice when I cut into it, and the Alabama white sauce was a perfect pairing. The service was also at the level of a Michelin star restaurant. When placing down cutlery, all staff aligned them (it's the little things that make you say "huh" that set them apart). Our waiter was helpful and very friendly as well, but honestly all of the staff were just so kind. No doubt we'll be back. St Michael's is an absolute joy and it's holding an absolute gem of a restaurant. Can't wait till Ruse hold its rightful place on the Michelin guide! read more

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We walked in for a quick drink and ended up getting a few apps, and regretted not eating dinner here too. The tuna and oysters were unbelievable and fresh. The bartender was impeccable and gave us the best service. We will 100% be back here to have a full dinner experience. read more

Ruse - Salad Near Me - Saint Michaels, Maryland

We loved Ruse!! The ambiance is more of a casual, rustic farm/coastal vibe. I love the long wooden table in the kitchen which gives the feeling you are hanging out, having dinner at a friend's house. We loved all of the super fresh seafood. Some highlights of the meal were the interactive make your own spicy tuna rolls, fresh sourdough bread with salty butter and fresh briney oysters. The caviar with the tater tots and creme fraise was actually the most perfect bite and I could've eaten a million of those. The burger was perfect with light shoe string fries! Overall Ruse was a perfect hit to kick off our stay-cation! read more

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So the rating is a solid 4.5...ish.... The best: great oyster selection. Fresh. Shucked well. Not cheap by any means. Wife's scallop entree was well portioned. The meh: The tuna hand rolls. I do not want to roll my own sushi. Ever. I pay you. Its unfortunate too. The ingredients are nice. The missed the mark: the cacio e pepe. Way too large of a portion. Thick gloopy sauce. Too salty. Crab meat disappeared under the heap of pasta. The delivery is wrong. Halve the portion. Quarter the amount of sauce. Then maybe(?) Its worth a stop. Just realize there will be hits and misses. read more

Great bar and great food. Located in the Wildset Hotel, very convenient for overnight guests.

I visited Ruse this past weekend with my husband and I was so hoping to love it, but I was disappointed. First, it was very warm in the restaurant. It was a hot day, but it seemed as though their HVAC system wasn't sufficient for the number of customers. As people left, the room temperature improved. After we were seated we waited about 7 minutes for our server to speak to us. When she did come by she said she still needed more time to give us a run down of the menu. When she was finally ready, she was helpful and took our order. The food was ok, but there were some big misses. I ordered the cacio e pepe and while I enjoyed my first few bites, some bites came with whole Szechuan peppercorns which made me apprehensive to eat the rest of the dish. In addition, my husband had the smash burger and fries. This was extremely salty. For dessert I had the key-lime sorbet and although I love key-lime pie, the sorbet was not good. I really hope Ruse improves, because St. Michaels deserves to have a few solid 5 star restaurant options. read more

A new favorite, Ruse in Maryland. We had a great meal with the trout and the burger paired with dirty martinis. The trout was well-prepared, with a fresh and flavorful profile, while the burger was juicy and satisfying, cooked to perfection. The dirty martinis complemented both dishes well, enhancing the overall experience. The service was attentive, and the ambiance added to a relaxing dining experience. A fantastic spot for a quality meal! read more

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Everything was absolutely perfect. Food, service, and ambiance. Couldn't have asked for a better time and meal. Everything was delicious. read more

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Big fan of Ruse. Love the fancy farmhouse, coastal vibe. Has both indoor and outdoor space, but glad we picked indoor for our reservation because it was way too hot. When we sat down around 6pm the entire bar was full, but by 8pm it had mostly cleared out, so if you don't have a reservation, get there super early or relatively late. Service was attentive and the food was sooo good; I especially loved the simple yet tasty anchovy toast and the crab pasta. Will for sure be back when I'm in St. Michael's again. read more

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The food here was amazing! We went on our mini moon and they gave us some CAVA to celebrate. The food was amazing but very rich. We started with oysters, then enjoyed the hand rolled tuna, and the shrimp which was chilled and with curry. For our mains I enjoyed the crab pasta which was very rich and my husband got the scallops. One thing to note we thought we would enjoy happy house since we were there at four PM. But you need to be at the bar in order to take advantage of happy hour and we were seating on main dining area. read more

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Great service, atmosphere, and outstanding food. Everything was perfect from start to finish.

Food, service, and ambiance was amazing. The best trout dish I have ever eaten, bread service was delicious, the wait staff was pleasant, informative, and attentive. I can't say enough wonderful things! read more

Ruse - Trout special - Salad Near Me - Saint Michaels, Maryland

We have been in Maryland for a week now. My husband and I ate at Ruse our first night of the trip and we are still talking about it. The atmosphere of Ruse was perfect. Our waiter was attentive. The drinks were dangerously fabulous. We both tried the Speedo and loved it. I'm vegetarian and they had a lovely pasta dish. They had fresh bread that was to die for. The salad had some typebof crunchy crouton that I need to try making when I get home! Don't forget dessert when you go to Ruse. We had a Carmel apple sorbet that was very refreshing. read more

Two years in a row my partner and I have come here to celebrate our anniversary because of how special this place is. This restaurant is within a bed and breakfast/hotel and is very farm to table. Always always make a reservation otherwise only the bar area is available. Servers have always been kind and quick; love getting their recommendations on what to eat. Ruse has the best and tastiest oyster selection ive had in my life. We ordered 3 orders of the roasted oyster and had some of the freshest raw ones that had a citrus after taste (unlike any oyster ive had before). The meat and vegetables are well seasoned. I absolutely love this place and highly recommend to anyone who enjoys oysters or a good meal. The drinks are great too - the bartenders are quite the mixologist! read more

Ruse - Duck - Salad Near Me - Saint Michaels, Maryland

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