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    Goody Cafe

    3.3 (79 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:30 pm

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    Soup too hot for to-go container
    Davianne K.

    I ordered beef Pho and couldn't even eat it because the to-go soup container warped from the soup being way too hot for plastic. It is not safe to consume soup from a container that has been melted by the heat because it will release chemicals into the food. I also ordered Crab Rangoon but the styrofoam melted into the food and I could see bits of melted styrofoam on my food. All the food that I paid $52 for had to be thrown in the trash.

    Chris B.

    Looked up places that serves pho, came across this Yelp recommendation. We've already tried majority of pho places in town, was just look to try somewhere else. I should've known where this was headed when I had to order by the American name of the dish. It came to about $14 to go, and definitely not worth the money. It tastes like packaged beef broth from the store with added salt. The meat was not the correct "thinly sliced beef" that usually comes with the dish, rather a chewy wrongly sliced other cuts of beef. The veggies consisted of bean sprouts, jalapeños, and cilantro with slices of lime. Would definitely drive 10 mins down the road for any other places that serves pho next time. Pros: amount of food Cons: expensive, salty and generic broth, poor packaging

    Beef hot pot
    Kathlyn G.

    My husband and I come here for dinner sometimes and love it! The food is always piping hot and so flavorful! We got the beef hotpot for about $25, and it was a good size and perfectly spicy! Just great to warm you up on a cold and rainy day. Usually quiet with plenty of seats available, so it's my go-to when I don't want to unwind and don't want to wait forever to be seated at a super packed restaurant.

    Menu

    Great food and good service. On a weekday night, the turnaround is super quick for a pick up order, which is about 15 minutes. Really convenient for someone who live within 15 minutes of drive

    Bubble tea

    Tried their bubble tea which was pretty good! The ambiance could be improved though..

    two plates of food on a table
    Tedan H.

    After so many more visits to this restaurant, I think it deserves some good words. I have not run into the same man on the front desk but instead the very friendly female owner. I have taken my coworkers here many times to try some authentic Chinese food. My go-to dishes are always Dong-Po Pork, fish sauce eggplant, saute green peas, thin-sliced potatoes, pork elbow, and spice fish filet. The food is always delicious and with speedy serving. For anyone who wants to have authentic yet affordable Chinese food, this is definitely the spot!

    It says nothing about the beef being raw.  I'm not sure broth that has been delivered to a home would be hot enough.  Is this safe?
    Jeffrey B.

    I am floored at the rude customer service my friend and i received last night ordering delivery from Goody Cafe. I typically like to support small businesses in the area and am reluctant to post such an awful review for an est. in my neighborhood. But this was egregious - within the world getting food at least! I had ordered from there before and it was good! My dish was good! Crab rangoon was fine! My friend ordered the D5 "Beef Thick Rice Noodle" for $10.95 from the delivery menu I had. It was listed under the "Chinese Dinner Menu." The beef looked raw to me and my friend (he is a student from Kenya) was perplexed. I thought perhaps it was very rare roast beef so I called to ask about it. Immediately the defenses went up and I was polite and just trying to clarify what the dish was. The woman who answered kept giving me unsatisfactory answers when I inquired. When I asked if it was raw she said that it was "cooked when you pour the soup over it" and I clarified with her that that meant the large plastic container of broth. She kept reinforcing that that is how the dish is prepared and I have no expertise to say that is incorrect. But common sense tells me that perhaps that dish is best NOT delivered. First there is the issue of the temperature of the broth when it arrives to my home - is it hot enough? Secondly, we had no idea that it was raw so what if we had simply waited and had very cold food without reheating? Yes, I have had carpaccio or tartare when that is what I expect and it is the proper cut of beef and been prepared under health code violations. This was not the case here. She repeatedly asked me if I had read the menu - rather than diffusing the situation which would have been so easy at that point! We were old friends getting together near Christmas and had no intentions of having Chinese Food delivery stress! She could have replaced it or offered suggestions to rectify but no, she just kept arguing. Finally, I handed the phone to my friend and told him I was done with the place and he could do what he wanted. He decided to have the meal replaced. When he selected something slightly more expensive she wanted to charge him! Say what? He just picked something that was the same cost. When the delivery person came in a fairly nice looking smaller SUV I wondered if this was an owner or manager as it wasn't the typical car of a delivery person. I decided to let him handle it at the front door while I stood at the back door watching my dog in back yard. She could have just said, "sorry" and handed him the replacement dinner as he was less upset than I was and would have let the issue drop. But she kept arguing. Her voice started getting louder and more shrill and his voice was not louder at all! I heard her say, "I want to see the meat!" I'm coming in there and you are showing me the meat." I walked through the house and told her she was not welcome in my home and needed to leave. She wouldn't leave. My friend told her she was being argumentative...you got it...no she wasn't...it was bad. Rather surreal because it is just Chinese delivery for heaven's sake! After asking her to leave repeatedly I cautiously closed the door as she continued to stand there. She left finally leaving the front gate where she had entered standing wide open no latch. So many missed opportunities to rectify this almost trivial incident (no one was sick). Such poor customer service. I wanted to give them a chance again to simply acknowledge that this was not a good customer experience last night and could be unhealthy eating raw beef unknowingly so I called. The first person who answered hung up on me when I asked for a manager. It was a clear hang up - I know a hang up... I called back and she tried to convince me that he had not hung up on me and then began speaking to someone else on another line. She missed the final chance to make this better before I wrote this review. The owners of Goody Cafe on Lindell in the CWE desperately need to watch an episode from the tv show Kitchen Nightmares called "Amy's Baking Company" in AZ. The owners will not take criticism and Chef Ramsey walks out on them (his first on the show) because all they did was defend themselves and not try to do better. Along the way they told the customers they were wrong! Owners of Goody Cafe please watch this show! It is on YouTube and was so over the top that people made cartoons about it and it took on a life of its own. Today, I called the St Louis Health Dept and told them about the raw beef. I don't want the Goody Cafe in trouble. I want people to eat properly cooked food or know that they aren't. Crazy huh? Never called before and don't intend to make it a habit. Longest review I ever wrote too. It is a shame we can't get decent deliver in the CWE from some of the places! This is the type of area that has high income and college students both of whom ord

    Willa X.

    This is a great place for cheap, authentic Chinese food near the CWE (read: the only place.) As another reviewer mentioned, it's true home-style cooking, and not the fancy dim sum style some may be expecting. Ignore the lit up screens on top with all the Americanized dishes (unless you're just looking for lo mein and fried rice), and go for the secret menu on the counter instead. If you're not with a Chinese friend who can guide the way, ask the staff for a recommendation. I personally recommend the tomatoes and eggs dish, as it's a good intro to home-style Chinese food. The bubble tea is also solid. My favorites are the red bean and green bean ones. Fyi, you can ask for less sugar to taste. The rice, bowls, and utensils are self-serve. Get used to it. UPDATE: Goody Cafe's made a few updates to their menus and the authentic Chinese menu now has accompanying English translations! Woot. They also have a variety of "Chef specials" on a whiteboard in the back of the restaurant near the doors. Unfortunately, it's all in Chinese. Fortunately, they're all delicious. You can ask for recommendations from this list if you want to be more adventurous (e.g. intestines, pig ears.) There are also new hot pot soup and make your own stir fry menus that are AWESOME. Also, after tearing through essentially their whole menu by now, I can say that dishes are either a hit or miss. There are a few places on Olive that I prefer a great deal more in terms of flavor and quality, but the convenient location of Goody's can't be beat. I love popping for a quick meal or takeout when I'm too lazy to cook, and am craving home comfort food.

    Twice cooked pork

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    Grand Bistro

    Grand Bistro

    4.5
    (82 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    So glad to have Grand Bistro back in my life! The food is just as good as I remember from when it…read morewas Pho Grand, and honestly, the service when I went with friends last week was incredible. I knew they don't take reservations and won't seat an incomplete party, but I still got there a little early just to see if we could grab a table for five. I was surprised (in a good way) when they seated me before everyone else arrived. I even told the hostess I didn't mind waiting, but she encouraged me to go ahead and sit, which was really nice. Our server was super friendly and made sure I was taken care of while I waited. As my friends started arriving, he was quick to get them settled in too. We started with some non-alcoholic drinks and spent some time chatting before diving into the menu. It was honestly hard to pick just one thing, so I went with both the chicken pho and fried rice. I knew I wouldn't finish it all, but I really wanted both. Once we ordered, everything moved smoothly--our server checked in, made sure drinks were filled, and kept things organized. When the food came out, everything looked amazing and tasted just as good. Of course, with all the catching up we were doing, it took us a while to finish, but there was no rush at all. When we were ready, he brought the checks and was more than happy to split them out (always appreciate that!). Before leaving, I ordered a to-go meal for my husband and asked for a box for my leftovers. Our server actually took my plate and packed everything up in the back, which I wasn't expecting but really appreciated. He also brought out the to-go order right when it was ready. Honestly, everything, from the space to the service to the food, was just great. I'm already looking forward to going back again soon.

    How happy am I to learn this place reopened with a new name? We were here within the hour of…read morelearning it had reopened (was Pho Grand). And it lived up to our expectations. Love the new cocktail bar they added. It take away some seating however people can eat at bar too. We ordered cocktails while waiting for our table which took only a few minutes. My husband tried their version of an old-fashioned which used both bourbon and rum!!! It was good but he said definitely a "sipper". They have a full bar and much better wine selection now too. Starters for us were a bowl of wonton soup and the spring rolls. Both were good but rolls a little rubbery to me. The highlight of our meals was charbroiled pork. We are not capable of ordering anything else. Ha. I get 15.04 and he got 15.03 which includes an egg roll. Divine food!! The people who own this place are so friendly. Our waiter was also very nice. We can't wait to return

    Photos
    Front table
    Front table
    Pork and shrimp wonton soup
    Pork and shrimp wonton soup
    Rear eating area

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    Rear eating area
    Jinzen

    Jinzen

    4.2
    (243 reviews)
    5.4 mi
    $$

    Ran the table here. Very mixed reviews with several recent negative reviews by serious local…read moreexperts. As you can read, I'm love Japanese food. The fried squid was well-breaded, light and crispy, but they were a touch tough. Still excellent and the oil was clean. Their burnt ends were fusion perfect! Lots of clean garlic cloves, mild and slightly sweet sauce on a hot stone. Most importantly very tender ends. Finally the house tonkatsu ramen. Wow. This is not the 5 year old mother base, but a mild and delicate creamy beef broth. Balanced rather than deep. The pork is not the danish sheets, but seared silver dollar sized chunks. The noodles were the right texture and firmness. The eggs were shockingly correct, firm all the way to a perfectly runny 2cm cup. Very rare for that kind of attention. Finally service, could not ask for anything better. Attentive but not overwhelming. Polite and thoughtful. And, didn't push the round 2 alcohol like some places.

    The place itself is really cute but I was disappointed in the food flavors. I will recommend…read moregetting the popcorn chicken though. It was pretty good but the ramen was lacking. The noodles were too much and soup was under seasoned. We love spicy food so we asked for more hot sauce which didn't really help. The volcano fried rice was sweet actually which was very overpowering. Service is good, the people are really nice. I just wish the food was up to the expectations I had.

    Photos
    Seating
    Seating
    M6.Volcano Fried Rice
    M6.Volcano Fried Rice
    M6.Volcano Fried Rice

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    M6.Volcano Fried Rice
    Lona's Lil Eats

    Lona's Lil Eats

    4.6
    (827 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    Consistently every week, Lona's comes up in our conversation and our rotation…read more Whether we're picking a place for dine-in or takeout, or we have guests interested in a quick bite, Lona's unique wraps, tasty side dishes, speediness, unpretentious charming neighborhood location, friendly service, and excellent price:performance ratio is a winner. Standouts for us include the smoked brisket wrap, bamboo stew, spicy eggplant, stir fried glass noodles. However every item on the menu is great.

    After reading alllll the reviews I was excited to try this place. But, it just did not reach all my…read moreexpectations based off the reviews I read. This place did have fresh food, I'll give it that. But, it definitely lacked in aspects that didn't make it amazing or something I'd really suggest unless someone I knew was vegetarian. We were served quickly but definitely felt like the staff had a very "meh" attitude. It's a very specific type of place, mismatched furniture, kind of eclectic. It gives very "lived in vibes". The food itself was okay. The steak dumpling were probably my favorite but I wish there was more options for dipping sauce rather than just chili crisp oil. I ordered the big Thai wrap, and while it was good, I had to ask for extra sauce because the lettuce was just overwhelming, like there was just a giant wad of it thrown in there. The wrap itself is a rice paper so you really can't put it down when you eat it or it just falls apart. But, overall, with extra sauce, rearranging things a bit everything was generally good. Would I go out of my way to go back? Probably not but it's definitely a great place to try for yourself.

    Photos
    Lona's Lil Eats
    Spicy Cucumber Salad
    Spicy Cucumber Salad
    Outside seating

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    Outside seating
    Stews Food & Liquor

    Stews Food & Liquor

    4.9
    (108 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    Stews has been on my list for a bit and I finally made it in! We were greeted and told someone…read morewould be right with us. We lucked out and got two seats at the counter soon after we came in. The staff was hustling! Stews was busy, but felt comfortable and not crazy. The Menu had drinks on one side and food on the other. The patron next to me ordered a Mule and it looked really good so I ordered that and it tasted as good as it looked. I knew I had to get the Brussels Sprouts and they did not disappoint. It was a pretty good-sized order so I had some to take home for anther meal, yum! I also ordered Lo Mein and enjoyed that immensely, as well. We had somewhere else to be after eating so it was nice to get in and get seated, order drinks, order food all in a timely manner. It wasn't rushed at all, and everyone pitched in with serving and all of it. Well-orchestrated service. If you are trying to remember things that came before and you are thinking of the Wood Shack, you are correct! I thought it was but it had been a while so I asked and our server confirmed :). No food pics, so disappointed they came out super blurry

    Yes there is generally a wait time so put your name on the list and scan the drink menu for 20…read moreminutes... or so. Pro Tip: GO ALONE! lol the tables for one open a lot faster than they do for larger parties. The entire inside holds about 35 people. When STL weather cooperates, the front patio doubles the size of the place. Do with that what you will. You have been warned so plan accordingly! NOW FOR THE FOOD! Order The Salmon! Order the brussel sprouts. I wasn't a fan of the T-Pockets as they are NOT traditional crab ragoon. Think, jalapeño poppers but with cream cheese and crab. ORDER A COCKTAIL! I've had their Manhattan and an "After Dark". If you are a bourbon person, you can't lose on either of those. Drinks range from $10-$14. THE STAFF: The space is tiny and is always packed, that alone is a recipe for disgruntled guests and employees BUT NOT HERE. The Stew's team is always friendly and cool under pressure. They have seating and serving down to a science. Kudos! AMBIANCE: Think intimate bar in Japan. Can't imagine that, then visit Stew's. Thank me later.

    Photos
    The bar
    The bar
    Fried rice with pork belly skewer, Brussels sprouts, lo mein
    Fried rice with pork belly skewer, Brussels sprouts, lo mein
    General Tso's Chicken

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    Meyou

    Meyou

    4.6
    (118 reviews)
    6.1 mi

    I don't need fancy as long as the food is delicious. This is what Meyou has to offer. Flavorful,…read moremade-to-order Thai food and a friendly service to boot. They had 2 wait staff working when we went and both greeted us immediately and seated us inside. Their air conditioning was broken and awaiting repair and they had signs throughout explaining that. It was still cooler inside than out so we sat inside. I was curious what a butterfly lemonade was so I ordered one. It was good and quite refreshing with traditional lemonade at the bottom topped with a vibrant deep purple concoction on top. After I educated myself, I found that the deep purple concoction is steeped tea made from butterfly pea flowers. We started with some egg rolls - fried with ground pork and vegetables and served with sweet and sour sauce. The sauce was great! I normally pass as most of them have a cloyingly sweet flavor that I don't like but theirs had a really good balance of flavors amd not too sweet. The egg rolls were flavorful enough to stand on their own though and yes, delivered piping hot to the table. I had the drunken noodles with beef at medium spicy level. At first bite, I was immediately able to taste the spicy level I chose. A great sign. Then I sniffed and started sweating. Another great sign of good spice level. My husband ordered the yellow curry with tofu and medium spice level as well. At first he said it could be hotter but then midway through he decided it was more of a build up and thought the level was actually perfect. Serving size was great. You can definitely get another meal out of an order! We took the rest of our food home. I cannot wait to eat my leftovers today. What a great spot for a delicious, quick dinner!

    Apparently, some Chinese restaurants have a policy where they give you free egg rolls if you're a…read moreparty of six. I get that this is a Thai restaurant, not Chinese (though it's more Chinese than I am), but Meyou might consider such a policy. I would have benefited from it yesterday. I visited on a Wednesday evening with members of a running group. There were umpteen of us. If we'd been given a single egg roll appetizer, we would have been forced to cut it in tiny pieces and share. I would have been willing to do that, because I'm a confirmed, avowed savage. My reputation precedes me. Arguably, they should give you one free appetizer for every six members of your party. But I digress. Now, where was I? Ah yes, Meyou. I'd describe this place as a somewhat Americanized version of Thai food, based on what little I know from having recently visited Bangkok and eaten in roughly 40 or 50 restaurants, food stalls and what have you over the course of a few days, i.e. not a whole lot. You can get pad thai and various other soups, noodles and curries, along with fried rice, egg rolls, crab rangoon and chicken wings. It's got a little something for everyone. Do they charge you $0.25 for extra soy sauce? Can you call up and try to harangue them into giving you a free order of crab rangoon by claiming that they shorted you the last time you were there, knowing good and well they can count better than you? I'm not sure. I might try that on my next visit and report back. This time, I went with something called Pad See Ew, which wasn't nearly as gross as its name suggests. In fact, it was good. Its description on the menu, with broccoli, eggs and soy sauce, called to mind various things I might order from a Chinese takeout--which is what I tend to look for in a menu item. As a noodle dish, I figured the overall flavor profile might not be different from a lo mein lunch special I used to get decades ago, that I still fondly reminisce about on a weekly basis. I wasn't that far off from the mark. They let you choose the spice level, ranging from mild to hot. I usually get hot in most places, but I'm hesitant to do that at Asian restaurants, because they might have access to peppers that are technically considered research chemicals, like Temu Ozempic, and therefore not subject to FDA approval. There were a few girls there, and I didn't want to run the risk of my throat starting to close up. I'd have to find a new run group. Medium turned out to be just right for me, but maybe too spicy if you're expecting something along the lines of a buffalo wing. Even the mild, apparently, has a bit of a kick to it. The noodles were nice and slippery and cooked a touch beyond al dente, right in that Goldilocks zone between undercooked and mush. The heat, and the complexity provided by whatever they use to season this, helped offset the underlying sweetness. You get your choice of meat. No Diddy. I went with pork, natch, with apologies to the Honorable Minister. The amount they give you is surprisingly generous, except that this dish will run you. I'm talking modern-day Chipotle prices. Maybe a dollar or two more. Yikes! But I'd argue that the quality justifies it. If I lived nearby, and I had the means, I'd stop by on occasion.

    Photos
    Meyou
    Chive appetizer
    Chive appetizer
    Chive appetizer

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    Chive appetizer
    The BAO

    The BAO

    4.2
    (471 reviews)
    5.2 mi
    $$

    ome girlfriends and I went out to eat here because it was new to us. We were quickly seated, but…read morethen had to wait a while before we were addressed. That was a bummer. However, I will tell you that Eddie turned it around. He was incredible. Sure, normally wait staff will tell you "oh yes great choice" so I asked if he would actually tell us if things were bad. Now, he didnt say anything was bad, but he did say he felt this other dish was better than what a person ordered because it had more flavor and yada yada. A honest man. Love to see that. Japanese Curry = Little spicy, but great flavor. Yum. Wagyu and bacon bao = amazing. Get it. Pork belly boa = a little dry, bummer. Fried shrimp boa = good. Fries = 100/10. Perfectly crispy. Amazing. Also a little thing, but the light on table had three different settings and I just really appreciated that. Treat yourself to this small restaurant tucked away in Clayton and go visit by boy Eddie.

    So lets start here, I went here for Clayton Restaurant Week. I wasn't excited to go but my friend…read moreshe wanted to try it. It was one of the COLDEST days of the year like 5 degrees out. We had reservations but it was so cold we went early praying that they had open seating. We were in luck the bar was open. Inside it was swanky, I liked the aesthetic. if you are looking for a place that's ultra private, this isnt it. but it would be an awesome date night. The bartender was welcoming and open. I was enthralled as they made the cocktails. They answered random questions and helped us picked something for our palate. I had the Paloma (Palo-Ho-HO-Ma) it was AMAZING!!!!!!!!! i mean like go just to get one of those. Then i had the sweet chili popcorn tofu. That was also good. Next I had Tom Kha. Refreshing spicy creamy soup. almost licked the bowl. Then i chose three different bao sandwiches. chicken, the pork belly, and the shrimp tempura. All the sandwiches were great, but after all the food i ate i was so full i couldn't appreciate them like they deserved. Now all the food AND the drink was for $40.00 You see I gave them 5 stars. I usually don't do that and this was my first time at the establishment. The food was so good that I started talking to the persons next to me at the bar and looking at their food selection. I will definitely be back . Are you still reading this, why aren't you in the car driving there yet.

    Photos
    Nice full bar
    Nice full bar
    Truffle wagyu BAO
    Truffle wagyu BAO
    BOBA Thai Tea

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    BOBA Thai Tea
    Mai Lee

    Mai Lee

    4.1
    (1.3k reviews)
    5.1 mi
    $$

    I came to Mai Lee with my cousin after reading about the restaurant in the book Matt's St. Louis…read moreFood Story, learning that it got national recognition when it was tapped as a semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. The expectation was high, and the restaurant delivered outstanding marks. The menu was huge (over 300 items) and we had no idea what to eat. No worries, the daughter of the proprietor, Sarah, was our server and without rushing, she thoughtfully asked questions to narrow down our options to the items she believed we would really like. She was very friendly and her recommendations hit the spot. I ordered a Banh Me Thit (56) and a Com Tom Thit Trung (74). The Banh Me had very fresh bread and I enjoyed every bite. The Com Tom Thit Trung was very good, just what I expected. Throughout our meal, Sarah would stop by to check on us and we also chatted about the restaurant and its' history (since I saw an article in St. Louis Magazine framed to the wall). One of my rules-of-thumb of good hospitality at a restaurant is if leftovers are boxed up for you. At the end of the meal, Sarah's brother cleared the table and boxed up the food. If you want authentic food with great service backed by a rich storyline with 40 years of history in St. Louis, check out Mai Lee!

    This is one restaurant that my husband and I can always agree upon when we are out. Couples, you…read moreknow the car conversations, right? Well you can't go wrong here. When you walk in you are always greeted with a smile. The seating is quite close but not so close you cannot walk through. Tables and booths. Very clean and well kept. Your order can be family style or individual. Family style allows you to share tea and big serving bowls of soups. Now for the good stuff. The menu is varied with authentic or Americanized "Asian" stirfry and egg rolls. The Pho is outstanding! My goodness, the flavors of the broth, with added ingredients from chicken and beef to vegetarian. What brings it home are the side dishes of flavor bombs they serve along side: jalapeños, bean sprouts, and Thai basil. Add it to the soup and the noodles seem to envelope it all with an explosion of flavor as you slurp even to the last drop. And grab those last leaves or noodles with your chopsticks. It's worth every bite. I highly recommend Mai Lee, as it is at the top of our all-time favorites list.

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    Wall of awards
    Wall of awards
    Ham St. Paul
    Ham St. Paul
    Japanese beer

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    Japanese beer

    Goody Cafe - asianfusion - Updated July 2026

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