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Sport & Recreation
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1=SGD 0.0587
In the past one year, I have been to this restaurant for about 6-7 times. I must say that the food there was tasty and the variety aplenty. On all my visits there, I went for the ala carte dinner buffet. In total, there are more than 40 different dishes to choose from. These include fresh sashimi ( Hamachi, Salmon, Octopus and Tuna), Tempura, Ramen, Nigiri Sushi, Teppanyaki and many more. You can visit the website to take a look at the various dishes available.
There is also a sashimi counter and if you do not mind, you can sit at the counter seats as this will ensure that you will get to eat your sashimi promptly. This is because there business there is always brisk and therefore sometimes, your food may be slightly delayed. This is sometime that I have learnt in my last visit there. But rest assured that your food will still arrive tasty and hot
What I like best is the value for money here. The pricing of the buffet is approximately $52 for two, as there is always a 1-for-1 offer for the buffet for credit cards (such as DBS and OUB). In addition, there may also be like 20% discount on the total bill for using an AMEX card if you do not have the above-mentioned credit cards. Of course, all these deals may differ from time to time and thus it would be good to check with the restaurant before making a trip down.
As such, it would be most worthwhile to go with your friends and family for a hearty meal at this restaurant and enjoy the food. You will definitely love it and will go back for more in future.
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I remember visiting the now defunct Haw Par Villa when I was still a kid in primary school. At that time, Haw Par Villa had opened with much fanfare and I remember paying an exorbitant amount (in the $20 range I believe) just to gain entry. Those days are long gone and all that is left of the sprawling theme park are the forgotten statues and a recently opened Chinese restaurant called Made In China which is managed by the Singapore Explorer group, the very group that manages Pier Eleven. Now who in the right mind would open a restaurant in the middle of a deserted theme park that is not really accessible without a vehicle?
Parking is a breeze because you can literally park anywhere you want along the slope that leads up to the restaurant. It all depends on how much you are willing to walk. As I stepped into the restaurant compound, everything seemed so surreal. The building and its surroundings seemed to have come out straight from some ancient martial arts flick that I used to watch. The interior of the restaurant brought me back to reality though. Sparsely furnished, this is one place that believes in spacing out its tables for the comfort of its guests and I appreciate it.
The Peking duck was both good and bad. The skin was crackling crispy and had minimal fats under it. This is probably the crispiest Peking duck skin that I've ever eaten. Such a delightful skin was only let down by the rather lacklustre skin which was thin but tasteless. The meat on the other hand, was a total letdown. A tad dry and not as tender as I had expected. There was also a discernible, albeit faint, fowl taste.
For the price ($25) , the shark's fin and fish maw soup was good. First looks, it actually reminded me of curry because of the yellowish soup base. The soup was rather intense in flavour and came across as thick and starchy while the fins and fish maw were aplenty and pretty decent. According to the waitress, the soup base is boiled for 42 hours using old chicken, old duck (literal translation) and some other stuff that are supposed to be beneficial to the body.
The Fried Golden Butter Prawns came looking rather messy and not the least bit like prawns, more like chunks of fried stuff. The batter was lightly salted and crispy with a lingering buttery aftertaste while the prawns were fresh but none too succulent. I did find this dish a little disappointing because the butter batter came across as bland, unlike the egg yolk variations I've eaten before which were decidedly more savoury. But then again, its quite decent.
Pan Grilled Miso Marinated Beef Tenderloin - Honestly, I didn't think too much of this dish. It looked like it had been drenched in oil and the black pepper taste was overwhelming, so much so that I couldn't really make out if it was beef or pork. The doneness of the beef didn't help either.
Desserts weren't fantastic but decent nevertheless. The crust of the Red Bean Paste Pancake was a little too thick for my liking and the red bean filling seemed a little runny and low on the sugar content. The Yam Paste in Coconut fared better. It's actually Orh Nee served in a coconut. The yam was very smooth, not too coagulated and mildy sweet. Only bone I had was that too much coconut milk was added and it didn't gel very well with the yam paste. The Black Glutinous Rice with Ice Cream derived its sweetness from the scoop of vanilla ice cream in its midst but was average tasting.
I'll be lying if I said that I could walk up straight after such a hearty meal because I simply couldn't, try as hard as I might. And it didn't exactly cost me a bomb either. Standing just shy of $120 for 2 pax, it's certainly not cheap but definitely a notch or two down the price scale relative to restaurants that serve up a similar quality of food.
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Flutes at the Fort - a modern Australian restaurant housed within an old refurbished colonial bungalow and set against the historical backdrop of Fort Canning Park. Amidst the lush greenery and idyllic setting, one would hardly expect to find anything but birds and trees here, much less a restaurant, a swanky one at that.
Getting there can be quite a hassle as the route to the restaurant is quite complicated unless you drive and park at the complimentary valet carpark. But even then, you will have to make your way up a flight of stairs just to get there. But its all worth it. The old bungalow is beautifully restored with modern finishes yet retaining its rustic charm. Ambient lighting is practised and the windows overlook Fort Canning's lovely foliage. There is an option of sitting indoors in the cosy air conditioned area or outdoors at the veranda, with the latter being ideal for cool evenings.
The complimentary sourdough bread was quite good - served warm with the crust lightly crackling and the interior soft and fluffy. Definitely a welcome dish to temporarily stem our hunger pangs. Just don't get carried away and stuff yourself with it or else you are not going to be able to enjoy your other food (aka the ones that cost money).
Carpaccio of Hokkaido Scallops - The only thing that I found interesting about this dish was the breadstick which was served alongside. It was extremely brittle and came coated with a layer of seaweed, giving it a nice salty taste. The thinly sliced scallops, which were supposed to be the main draw, were a little too soft and tasteless for me. Not that my other friends disagreed also.
Double Baked Alaskan King Crab Soufflé - "Where's the king crab?" was my initial reaction to this dish. Clearly that was top of my list when I ordered this dish. After a few prods and scoops, the elusive king crab was still nowhere to be found. Not that this dish tasted bad anyway (It was cheesy with a slight hint of crab). In fact, it was so good that I had the urge to order another serving, but at $25 a pop, it was a no brainer really.
My main course, the Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly. Just to reiterate that Kurobuta Pork is akin to Kobe beef in the pork hierarchy, therefore making it highly prized and expensive. The Kurobuta pork belly was nothing short of excellent, with the fats literally melt in your mouth tender and the meat fibrous yet retaining a certain firmness. Did I mention anything about the skin being crackling crispy as well? The accompanying Sauteed Portobello mushrooms were juicy and soaked up the wonderful Star Aniseed Jus, making for a wonderful and flavourful side. Please be warned that this dish is definitely not for the health conscious.
The warm Pur - Caraibe Chocolate Fondant was slightly different from the usual renditions offered by other places. There was no molten chocolate in the centre to ooze out when I broke open the shell. Instead, molten chocolate was generously poured over the entire cake and allowed to cool, resulting in a gleaming black chocolate coated cake. Taste wise, I couldn't have asked for more. The cake was moist and spongy and I could detect teeny weeny pockets of chocolate within the cake that would burst forth as I bit into it.
The Fresh Peach and Vanilla Creme Brulee kinda lowered the standards a little. Granted that the pudding was smooth and not too sweet, but the layer of charred sugar atop was way too thick. Thick enough to get stuck in your teeth and irritate the hell out of you with every bite. The accompanying Chempedak and Mint ice cream was good though, mildly sweet with a tinge of the familiar chempedak flavour. Best of all, the ice cream is placed atop a base of slightly burnt Gula Melaka and coconut shavings which only serve to enhance the taste.
Excellent food, excellent ambience, excellent company. I'm a happy man (Not so happy after I got the bill amounting to almost $520 for 7 pax). I personally feel that the price isn't too steep for the quality of food you get here and especially the fantastic ambience. Service is great to boot. On a side note, thanks to all who turned up for the dinner!
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What a pleasant surprise, when I discovered the good food and excellent service at Hog's Breathe Cafe yesterday. It was my birthday, so the good stuffs were definitely welcomed!
I had their Atlantic Salmon with fries and salad. The portion is huge and it's very nice! I tried their Chicken Tender too, which is just as good.
The prices are fairly reasonable for their portion. At the end of the meal we were really really full!
Definitely must re-visit. :)
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White SignBoard with a RED FLOWER.. Thats Missha.... I like Missha! They have cheap and nice funky nail colours in flowered bottles that retails for only $2.90. I can say i'm flower CRAZE. I have almost every colour they retail. I love to mix them and paint mine toes multi coloured...
They also carry a good range of other skin care and beauty products. Mostly korean and there are pretty value for money. They have products that are targetted for certain skin types such as combination, dry or oily. I like korean products because they are usually nicely packed and suitable for asian skin.
Their cosmetics are interesting also. They have the usual blusher which i love because the colour suits my skin tone so well and its smell NICE, Eye shadow with a good variety of colours and mix and match customisation to your individual taste. The other thing i like is the pencil liquid eyeshadow. They call them eyetips. Its so cute and easy to use.
I love the concept and the products they carry. Most importantly, the retail assistants are always cool CHICKs with almost perfect makeovers....
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Plucking, Threading, Shaving, Colouring, Tattoo, etc... These are just some of the various things you can do to your brow... or some call it EYE BROWN.....
But its important that your brows are fixed neatly as it frames your beautiful eyes and enhances your entire look.
I have my brow reshaped as and when. As you know when we pluck and maintain our brow, accidents do happen. Either you pluck to much or it went out of shape or it looked like some kind of SAVANNA when there patches of sparse grass growing all over. I had mine brow reshaped yesterday at COSLAB.
It was quick... I entered the salon without making an appointment and this lady served me. After making clear of what i wanted she brought me into this small room look alike cubicle and i was made to lie down on this comfy bed. She then proceeded to do my brows. It was quick and the bed was comfy. I like the fact that she don't talk much so that i could relax and enjoy the ambience.
After plucking, she took a shaver and shaved some parts of the baby hair off... Personally i dislike that as I stated I wanted to pluck. Shaving makes the baby hairs grows out quicker then usual and its so tiny, you couldn't pluck them no more. But when I left, they did not persuade me to buy any packages with them or complained about how bad my trouble areas are and make me sign one of their slimming packages.. Oops...
When I went to the loo after I left, I realised my brows were a little crooked... its like one side is higher then the other. I was so pissed.... But then again I wonder if the brows are crooked or my face is crooked.... Hmph...
I will upload pictures of my brow Next time.....
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Raffles Creamery is yet another ice cream outlet that offers the create your own ice cream plus toppings option. The other two places that I know of are Ice Cream Chefs and Cold Rock Ice Creamery at East Coast Road and Holland Village respectively.
Located at the courtyard of Raffles Hotel just behind Seah Street Deli, Raffles Creamery is the latest "culinary" offering from the grand old dame. A brightly lighted counter adorned with glass jars filled with various condiments greet you in the middle of the courtyard in accompaniment to 2 smiling waitresses who seem to get really flustered with the sudden influx of customers.
I had the Rocky Road ice cream with toppings of Banana Jelly and Oreos. To my surprise, they didn't offer to mix it up for me nor did they ask me if I wanted it mixed up. It was simply take a scoop of ice cream, put some banana jelly and oreos by the side and there you go. Honestly, I was shocked. So much for offering a mix in option. That aside, the ice cream was really creamy and smooth but thats not exactly a compliment as the taste of milk was quite overbearing. And the so called "imported from Germany" banana jelly tasted like chewy candy with a banana taste. Now how special is that?
I paid almost $6 for a scoop of ice cream with 2 seperate condiments. It isn't expensive but without the novelty factor, I could have gotten better ice cream from Ben & Jerry's for the same price. Last I checked, no revisits are in my schedule.
See my pictures here
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Cherry Garden at The Oriental Singapore, voted one of the best restaurants in 2006 & 2007 by Singapore Tatler and one of Singapore's top restaurant in 2006 by Wine and Dine magazine, played host to my gf and I as we popped by for lunch before embarking on our new year shopping spree.
Stepping into the restaurant takes you into a different world - a world where our ancestors lounged and dined in courtyards found only in TV programs and complete with a replica of an age old bird cage. I guess WOW would be most apt in describing my first reaction to the almost picturesque scene which unfolded before me. Even my gf, who's not one to be impressed easily, was taken aback by the charcoaled teak panels, slate floors and ambient lighting. Without a doubt, this is one of the, if not THE best decor I've seen in a Chinese restaurant in Singapore. Don't believe me? Look at the pictures. ;)
Appetiser of Deep Fried Silver Fish - This didn't appear anywhere in our set lunch menu, so it must be complimentary. Nicely deep fried with the coating of flour crispy and not too oily. But could have been better if a little more salt and pepper were added, without which, it would be rather tasteless.
Double Boiled Soup of the Day - Lao Huang Gua Tang translated into Old Yellow Melon Soup - I found this soup quite refreshing as it was light on the palate yet appetising enough to kick start our lunch. However, it was a tad too sweet for me.
Three Varieties of Dim Sum - A very nicely presented dish with 3 types of non conventional Dim Sum. The first was vegetables wrapped in a crystal dumpling skin ala Har Gao style which I didn't find the least bit impressive. Average at best as the dumpling skin wasn't elastic enough. The second was a Shui Jiao with chicken meat and vegetables, which was slightly better than the first one because the chicken provided some fibre to chew on. The third was the best with fresh and crunchy prawns enveloped within a crispy deep fried exterior. Without this, I would have dismissed this dish entirely.
When a dish comes branded as a Chef's recommendation in a fine dining restaurant, it is usually good. However, the Combination of Fresh Scallops in Three Flavours was a case of hits and misses. The Pan Fried Scallop with Salt and Pepper tasted nothing out of the ordinary and nothing that I couldn't get elsewhere. The Deep Fried Scallop Roll with Phyllo Dough was a tad better, with the Phyllo Dough (whatever that is) brittle and crunchy. But it pretty much masked the slightly raw taste of the scallop. I personally found the Chilled Water Melon with Scallop in Garlic - Chilli Citrus Jus the most delectable. Though simply done, the sweetness from the chilled water melon blended well with the slightly salty and raw taste of the scallop and the garlic - chilli citrus jus added a tinge of spice and zest. Each individual flavour was so distinct yet melded together perfectly.
Braised Homemade Tofu topped with Minced Pork and Preserved Vegetables - Perhaps salty best describes this dish, probably due to the preserved vegetables in the gravy. The tofu was soft and silky and very much to my liking while the meat was finely minced but didn't taste out of the ordinary.
Wok Fried Beef Tenderloin with Trio Pepper in Chef's Concoction & Fragrant Fried Rice with Crabmeat, Asparagus and Fish Roe - In case you are wondering, these are 2 seperate dishes altogether but served together on the same plate at the same time in view of the customers hectic lunch schedule. Lets start off with the rice, which had fish roe evenly distributed within. Says alot about the effort put it. Unfortunately, apart from giving the rice a tinge of hardness and adding colour, the fish roe did nothing much. The shreds of crabmeat were almost non existent and the cubes of asparagus didn't taste like much. On the other hand, the Wok Fried Beef Tenderloin with Trio Pepper in Chef's Concoction was quite a star with the beef cubes cooked to perfection. Juicy and tender although it was well done. I didn't think too much about the sauce though. It tasted pretty much like normal pepper sauce to me, albeit a little stronger and thicker.
Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Aloe Vera Flavoured in Lime Citrus Jus - Now this was the epic finale to the very eye pleasing lunch. Streams of carbon dioxide were shooting through a gap in the cylindrical honey pot look alike serving glass - a result of putting dry ice in water at the bottom of the glass. Visuals aside, I didn't enjoy this dish one bit. The jelly was way too sour and made me cringe everytime I took a bite. Just for the record, I drank 5 cups of tea just for this dish alone to wash down the taste. But if you like sour stuff, then maybe it might taste good to you.
The bill for lunch came up to $111.90 for 2 pax. Certainly on the high side, especially considering that its lunch. Food is slightly above average but not outstanding, with the focus more on aesthetics rather than taste. Each dish is visually appealing and much attention is paid to the tiniest details. It could work on the quality of food though. Service is prompt and unhurried, which is excellent for a leisurely lunch. My conclusion? Go back only if ambience means a lot and quality of food takes a back seat. Oh and of course, if you are feeling rich (dinner is priced per pax by the way).
See my pictures here
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Had our monthly dinner at Hua Ting. LSD couldn't make it last minute due to work commitments so there was only 5 of us, which was excellent company nevertheless. Helmed by Master Chef Chan Kwok, Hua Ting is reputed to dish out exquisite and fine Cantonese cuisine and its numerous accolades and awards bear a testament to that.
Situated on the second floor of Orchard Hotel and overlooking Orchard Road, Hua Ting boasts floor to ceiling windows which offer a view of the hustle and bustle along one of Singapore's premiere shopping belt. Opulently decked out in finished wood and Chinese antiques, it oozes charm and serenity, making it the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy the food.
I had a go at the Lichee Tea, which was something new to me. It smelt like rose tea and tasted rather bland actually. Not the strong full bodied tea that I like. Also, as there was no filter in the teacup, I had a hard time trying to take a sip of my tea without getting some tea leaves thrown in as well. The lotus root appetiser was quite good, crunchy and a little sourish/salty. The others didn't quite take to it though.
Hua Ting Deluxe Platter - The prawn wrapped in beancurd skin was quite nicely done, with the skin being crisp and the prawns fresh. However, it was a little too salty. The soy chicken was decent, tender with a slight hint of sesame. The fried eel ( I think its eel. Either that or its silverfish) was crispy and went pretty well with the chopped garlic and chilli. The char siew was decent as well, but not outstanding. Last but not least, the jellyfish tended quite a bit to the soft side, not exactly crunchy or chewy. Quite a bummer really.
It is said that no trip to Hua Ting is complete without ordering their renowned roast duck. I am inclined to agree. The duck didn't look like much when it arrived. In fact, I personally felt that it looked rather limp and unappetising. Oh boy, was that about to change. Chewing on a piece of the duck livened my tastebuds, especially after the rather uninspiring deluxe platter. The skin was crispy and the gravy a tad sweet. The meat soaked up quite a bit of the gravy but still came across as a wee bit too dry. Probably a little too overcooked. The duck did seem a little too fatty under the skin as well. Nevertheless, still good enough for me to recommend it.
Crispy Homemade Beancurd with Seasonal Greens Topped with Assorted Eggs - Aesthetics wise, no questions about it, this dish is a clear winner. But taste wise, its probably scraping the bottom of the barrel. Okay I exaggerate. Its not half as bad. The twirly thing you see is actually made from egg and to be honest, its tasteless. The chef, for whatever reason, decided on using egg tofu and overall speaking, it was plain average. It kinda reminded me of the $1 tube of egg tofu you buy at the supermarket.
Sautéed Dried Cod Fish with Egg White - This dish was really a disaster in the making. Technically, a combination of cod fish and egg white would be enough to make me drool. Unfortunately, the only thing that I got out of this dish was nausea. The dish was cooked in a creamy sauce which covered the taste of the egg as well as the cod fish. A sheer waste of a good fish if you ask me. The creamy taste (I'm sure they added milk) was so pronounced that all of us felt nauseous after a few mouthfuls. Just for the record, we didn't finish this dish.
Deep Fried Scallop Bacon Roll topped with Conpoy - Another dish that would have had me drooling if executed well. Unfortunately, it got me cringing instead. It was painfully salty and the bacon was really quite fatty. I couldn't quite taste the scallops as it was overwhelmed by the salt. Ironically, the broccoli was the star of the dish. Moist yet crunchy, we cleared it all but left quite a few of the scallops.
Fish Paste Noodle Soup with Seafood - I am beginning to think that all noodles should be made from fish paste. It offers more bite and has a more wholesome texture than normal egg noodles. The other plus point is that it fills you up real fast. That was the case with our fish paste noodle soup. By the time this dish was served, we were already close to the brim and stuffing ourselves with such filling noodles sure didn't help. In the end, after all our efforts in trying to finish it, we regrettably still had half a bowl left. Did I mention that the prawns were very fresh and huge as well? Not to mention crunchy and tasty.
I cannot fathom that the 5 of us could chalk up a bill of close to $370, but we did. Pure madness is pretty much what I think about it. For that price and quality of food, I'll be hard pressed to find a reason to return.
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Heard about this Scandinavian restaurant at Millenia Walk so popped by with my gf on a weekday evening to try it out although we had totally no idea what in the world constituted Scandinavian food.
Tucked in a small corner of the shopping mall, it is prominent yet inconspicuous. Sounds like a contradiction doesn't it? Well, it has floor to ceiling windows and is located along the mall's perimeters but with its main entrance blocked from view (largely by a pillar and some potted plants). It doesn't help that there's a small Coffee Bean just next to it, which might lead you to erroneously believe that the entire area belonged to Coffee Bean. That aside, the interior was minimalistic yet oozed sublime charm with its repertoire of wine glass lookalike hanging lights.
Complimentary bread is always welcomed and this one had no fancy presentation whatsoever. No napkin to keep them warm and no butter served on a platter - just bread on a platter with butter you buy from the supermarket. However, the bread was piping hot and the butter melted easily onto the bread. Simplicity at its best! Now who needs napkins?
Since we were trying Scandinavian food, we had to try their soup as well. Unfortunately, it wasn't as exotic as we had made it out to be and it tasted suspiciously like the Capon Consommé I had at IL-Lido. It was good nevertheless with the soup being tasty yet light. The dumplings were actually made from Semolina Flour and had this sweet and pleasing taste.
Fried Mushrooms and Zucchinis with Spicy Dip - This finger food came recommended by the waiter and I must complement his recommendation. The mushrooms and zucchinis were done tempura style. What makes this dish stand out is the surprisingly light batter covering the zucchinis and mushrooms, yet tasty from the salt granules and the dash of seasoning. The zucchinis would have tasted better if they had been sliced into smaller slices though.
If the pictures don't tell you how good this dish is, I don't know how else I'm going to convey the message (Okay I might be biased because I fancy all things fried and crispy). The skin is seriously very crispy, so much so that you feel like you are biting through Keropok. Dip it in the accompanying gravy and you get a taste thats slightly burnt, salty and with a tinge of mushroom. I wouldn't call it out of this world, but it certainly is good. Another interesting thing about this dish is the side of cabbage(it certainly doesn't look like it) which is braised in red wine. The result is a very distorted cabbage with a sweet and strong red wine taste, too strong in fact, but certainly worth a try.
Curry Chicken - My gf had this and I tried some of it. This is one rather different curry chicken. No coconut or milk is used in the cooking of this dish, which inevitably leads to the question, "Wouldn't it taste weird without coconut or milk?" And my answer is no. In fact, it tastes exactly like the ones you eat outside minus the strong fragrance and starchy curry. Think of it as a watered down version without the fragrance. Certainly a healthier version as well. But hardcore curry folks might not fancy this. On a sidenote, the chicken was very tender and well cooked.
Warm Melting Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream - Notice how many times I have ordered this dessert? Practically countless. I'm just a sucker for chocolate cakes with warm chocolate in the middle. And I am pleased to announce that this gives Morton's Hot Chocolate Cake a run for its money. Priced at only a third of Morton's rendition, it is almost as good. The outer crust is slightly hard while the inside is soft, moist and spongy. The only drawback is the molten chocolate which I personally found a wee bit too watery (they don't use Godiva Chocolate in case you are wondering). The accompanying vanilla ice cream was not up to my expectations as I could detect ice chips within the ice cream and it tasted just above average.
With a very reasonable price tag of $66 for 2 pax for such great food, great ambience and great service, I wonder where all the crowds have gone. The place was practically empty on a Monday night, save for 4 tables including mine. Don't miss this gem in the heart of town! As for me, I'm already planning the next trip down with my friends.
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