Brought my dad here for Father's Day lunch and the food and service were top notch. This is exactly the kind of place you want to take your family you will not be disappointed. All the food came out fast and everything was delicious. Our server was so nice and sweet and made sure we were always taken care of. Honestly, it was some of the best service I've had in years. I'll definitely be recommending this spot to my friends and family. We will be back read more

Stopped by on a whim looking for a place that was still open later on Sunday evening, and our group was so glad we did! The service was truly welcoming and attentive and our server Eva was really sweet & pleasant to dine with. The food all really hit in all the right ways with that extra level of attention to detail to really elevate each dish to make our meal memorable, delicious, and a wonderful overall dining experience. The soft shell crab salad was delicious, super fresh and crispy generous soft shell crab portions. My favorite was probably the izakaya combo with all meats being perfectly seasoned and cooked perfectly juicy. We also shared the donburi and a sushi roll which were also fantastic to really round out the meal nicely. Really can't say anything bad about this place other than it deserves more recognition & business as it's tucked away in a little corner of the source. Will def have to be back for the excellent food but also the exceptional service. Thank you Eva & chefs! Chan read more

Came on a Thursday night & there was no wait. We ordered an assortment of food: skewers, bulgogi fries, eel roll, salmon roll, uni udon, and the oden. Everything was so good!!! I was surprised how tender the beef skewers was. I really liked the vibrant flavors of the salmon sushi. The oden was so comforting, I do wish it came with udon though. The uni udon was very creamy and delicious as well. read more

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Shout out to Vangie! She is an asset to this place! She took care of us from start to end! Recommended and explain the menu so well since it is our first time here definitely not the last read more

Izakaya Ichie - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

We had to wait a while for a table, so I'd recommend going early. The restaurant seemed pretty understaffed, which made service a bit slow and it sometimes took a while to get a server's attention. The fried squid and sauce that came with it was super delicious. I also ordered sushi which was good overall. The restaurant does have a good amount of seating inside, which was nice. read more

Izakaya Ichie - fried squid legs - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

My favorite items were the fries, squid legs, salmon yuzu. Fries were a little spicy but it was crispy. Not sure if the called it poutine because theres cheese but i didnt taste gravy and it wasnt curds. But it was still really good. Salmon yuzu was refreshing. Lemon sliced didnt not destroy the salmon roll. Galbi steak noodle is not bad but not good?the galbi pieces were underneath the noodles. It was a 50/50 between super dry and very juicy steak. The noodles were good since it was garlicy. Fish items were also a 50/50 salmon sashimi was amazing and fresh. The salmon don didnt taste as fresh but the furikake and cucumbers make it work. The chicken karage had a little too much batter but it was juicy and big. I think there was a piece that mightve been undercooked. For the skewers the sauce is super spicy. It lingers in your mouth. Located first floor next to coffee place and old ferry Service was good. It was just 1 waitress for along time and it was 70% full. When more people came more waitresses arrived. But the 1 who went everywhere did work. read more

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What a pleasant Surprise. Thank you so much Yelpers for highlighting this place. The Bulgogi Fries were so flavorful! The Spider Man Roll was good! The Sashimi Platter was a sight to behold read more

Izakaya Ichie - Sashimi Platter - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

Came here for a late-night bite! It was one of the few places open and happened to have what I was craving. Overall, it's a solid spot, but maybe not the best place specifically for sushi. They do have a good variety of food options, and the appetizers were pretty good. The sashimi overall was decent, but not the best I've had. The cuts could definitely be improved. Some pieces were great, while others weren't really to my taste, but it could be more of a preference thing. However, It was solid, but just not my favorite. Our waitress was also very nice. One unique thing about this place is how you get the waitstaff's attention: you use a magical wand! It's definitely a fun and quirky touch that adds a bit of personality to the experience. read more

This is the perfect place for friends and good food that's open late and is at the Source, Buena Park. I tried the Beef Yakisoba Noodles. Ambiance is fun with music playing in the background and the restaurant is visually stunning with all the decor. read more

Izakaya Ichie - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

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You know what's a great combo? Great food and great service. The waitress named Evangeline was really kinda , warm , and welcoming . She always had a nice bright smile when approaching my table and speaking to us. My table got some salmon sushi, tuna, uni , scallop , seaweed and edamame . I'd say it was great bang for buck. Definitely a place I'm coming back to. The owner Kevin was also very kind and welcoming. The ambiance was great and I loved the decor. Parking is really easy because of the big parking structure. read more

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Came for a late-night dinner after landing in California. Took a few minutes to get the attention of someone to seat us. Food was overall good- the creamy pasta had the right balance of seafood notes. My husband really liked his bulgogi poutine. Service was a bit slow- but otherwise good. read more

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Service was great and we had a nice waitress! The place is dimly lit and good for drinks and a bite. The food is definitely more drinking food vibes - fried food, strong flavor, and more greasy. I really enjoyed the spicy tuna crispy rice. The stew was not amazing but it was still decent! We really liked the bulgogi crispy rice appetizer thing that they just came out with. It layers imitation crab on crispy rice and bulgogi on top, paired with fries. I highly recommend you try that dish. The Mexican roll, however, was suspiciously too fishy. Maybe the albacore was a bit old or something. I'd recommend getting another roll than this. Overall good place to hang out with friends! Food and drinks here are a great way to spend the night. read more

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The mentaiko udon was absolutely lovely! I had such a ball, Eva was our server and made sure we were very well taken care of. Gave great recs and had an infectiouslu positive energy which made the food taste even better! read more

Izakaya Ichie - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

Absolutely outstanding experience! The restaurant offers the perfect combination of incredibly fresh sushi. My server banji was so nice and accommodating. read more

Izakaya Ichie - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

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We were a party of five and came here this past Saturday for dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday. All the dishes were delicious! I love the atmosphere of the restaurant too. Cute decorations. We did make reservation ahead of time so we didn't have to wait for a table. When we got there, we were seated right away. Overall, I would come back and take more of my friends and family here to try other foods. read more

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Was seated immediately for a party of 2 on Saturday for lunch. It was somewhat hard for us to find as it's on the first floor tucked in a corner so kinda distant from the other restaurants and food courts. The food here is delicious, no doubt. Love that they offer both Japanese and Korean dishes. I think the sushi roll was on the pricier side but the rose tteokkbokki was priced well for such a large portion. They have a sailor moon wand to wave for the staff's attention so that was silly and fun. My only qualm was not getting a to-go sauce cup that I specifically asked for so couldn't take my croquette sauce home lol. read more

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Service: It was okay, it wasn't the best but it was just okay. I'd feel like they need to be a little more welcoming for customers when first walking in and checking up on customers while dining in. Ambiance: It feels like you are in Japan. I love the decor inside and at night time, you can feel the vibes in there. Food: I ordered the baked salmon roll and Mentaiko Cream Udon. Let me just say the iron was my favorite dish there. It actually amazed me how delicious it was! So creamy, and flavorful! I would definitely order it again. My boyfriend loved it a lot and said he would get it again as well. I just wish it was more of a bigger portion but other than that, the udon was yummy! Overall I would give this place 4 stars, just service needs to be worked on a tad bit but other than that, food was delicious and I would come back for the udon! Maybe next time I'll try other dishes there too. read more

This hidden gem is found on the bottom corner of The Source Mall next to Basilur! Perfect for large parties or groups of friends, this place is decorated beautifully with glowing cherry blossom trees and lamps inside. The service wands to call for staff are hilarious and make me feel like a magical girl. A Must Try!!!! : The Mentaiko Udon and the Spider Man roll! Mentaiko udon is one of the best I've had! The udon was perfectly cooked and the mentaiko and udon together is the reason I keep coming back! The sauce is perfectly creamy, kinda shrimpy, if you've never had mentaiko before but love shrimp, try it! Spider Man roll: the soft shell crab in this was so yummy! I really loved the spiderweb shaped sauce on the plate, super cute! I came here once with a large group of friends for a birthday and came again with family! It's truly a hidden gem! And the best part is that theyre open pretty late at night! read more

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Izakaya Ichie is such a great find in Buena Park, especially if you're looking for a cozy late-night spot with quality food. Located on the first floor of The Source, the space feels like a modern sushi bar mixed with a classic izakaya vibe We tried several dishes and everything was spot on. The mentaiko cream udon was rich, creamy, and super comforting. The sushi omakase box was beautifully presented with fresh cuts and a great variety -- definitely a seafood lover's must-order. The avocado tuna tartare was light, fresh, and well balanced, making it a perfect starter. They also have a nice selection of drinks, including soju, plus soft drinks like milk tea, and even Korean desserts. Service was friendly without being rushed, which made the experience even better read more

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I loved this place! The service here is great service the food is amazing. It's also very cute and cozy. read more

Izakaya Ichie - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

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This restaurant is located at the Source plaza by knotts. Explored this plaza with my daughter and we couldn't decide what to eat and they had a large speaker playing a good song so we got lured by the music lol. We chose to eat here and got the hot pot, sashimi, and corn cheese. The food was good. The hot pot was satisfying and the broth itself was subtle flavor. I loved the variety of fish cake in it. My daughter had the corn cheese and for tastes it was okay. Slightly different than a Korean style corn cheese but I think it's because that what she thought she was getting. Would definitely recommend this spot if you're in this plaza. read more

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This restaurant is located at the bottom floor of the Source Mall. My family and I had a reservation for 5pm that day, and we were able to take our seats on the dot. Most of the dishes are for sharing so, we ordered 7 different dishes for 6 people to share. Our favorites were the Korean Fried Chicken Wings, the Rainbow Beach Roll and the Rose Creamy Tteobokki. We're regretting not trying the Crispy Rice and the Hamachi Carpaccio. We'll be back for those. The waitresses were on point with their service. We were just disappointed that they 86'd on the Galbi Short Ribs. Waving the Sailor Moon wand to get someone's attention was fun. read more

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I visited Izakaya Ichie on a Friday night as a party of one. I didn't have a reservation, but I was seated right away, which was a great start to the evening. The food was excellent, especially the seafood. Everything tasted fresh and the quality was definitely one of the highlights of my visit. As the restaurant got busier throughout the night, however, the service became noticeably less attentive. After finishing my meal, I waited about 30 minutes for my bill and wasn't able to get anyone's attention. Eventually, I went to the reception area, and someone finally came over. I explained that I was ready to check out and felt like I had been forgotten once the restaurant became crowded. My server apologized and said they didn't want to bother me because I was dining alone and felt that I could have flagged someone down if I needed anything. I explained that no one had checked on me, which was why I ended up going to the front to ask for service. Overall, the food quality was great, and I enjoyed my meal. The service experience at the end left me a little disappointed, though. It felt like once the restaurant got busy, solo diners weren't given the same level of attention. I'd still return for the food, but I hope the service is more consistent next time. read more

Eva was so kind to us and we ate to our hearts content. The soup was very delicious with use of white pepper. The soup lover gave her approval. will be back again soon! read more

Izakaya Ichie - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

A HIDDEN GEM for my Southern California friends/ family. Anyone looking for some bomb Japanese food, THIS is the spot!! Izakaya is located in "The Source," which is a Korean-Japanese shopping mall/ center in Buena Park. It's at the intersection of Beach Blvd and Orangethorpe. And for those staying at the Hilton Buena Park like my wife and I, it the mall is attached right to the hotel! I had never been to, nor heard of Buena Park until we came down for one of my best friends' weddings this pas weekend. And as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, we were very happy to see that The Source was adjacent to our hotel! However, somehow Southern California was the wettest area in the country this past weekend and my umbrella was cheaply made trash (#SoakedLyfe). Thus, my wife and I were searching for something warm and comforting to eat. After searching Yelp we came across Izakaya Ichie. And Japanese food was exactly what we were craving! Finding Izakaya was a bit challenging at first. but after about 10-15 minutes we finally located the restaurant within The Source. Entering the restaurant staff were extremely welcoming! And told us to grab any seat! The ambiance was also incredibly unique. There were music videos being played on a projector as well as geisha-themed art and red Kamifusen (I'm sorry if I misspelled that) balloons surrounding each table. To start, we decided to split their Chicken Karaage Duo, which was a mix of both original and honey garlic. Izakaya's food presentation is absolutely phenomenal! Looking around at each and every table you'll see incredibly unique looking dishes, meaning soups with literal flames underneath, extraordinarily colorful sushi rolls, and more. Our appetizer came out quickly and I immediately burnt my tongue and the roof of my mouth on these (lol). But absolutely DELICIOUS- crunchy and flavorful, With what I believe were a basil and sriracha themed dipping sauces (if I'm incorrect please correct me). For the main course the Mrs went with their Galbi Chop Steak Noodles. I decided to go for something I'd never had before- Mentaiko Cream Udon. Which consisted of Alaskan pollack roe, udon, seasoned seaweed flakes, shrimp, green onion, and ichie cream sauce. I wasn't sure what to expect, but WOW was I glad I went with the Mentaiko! The noodles were creamy, warm, and flavorful. And when I say creamy I mean in a good way, not an "artificial" or gross way like Starbucks creamer or something. This was fresh tasting and more "melt in your mouth." The noodles were fantastic and everything went perfectly with each other. It was recommended by our server so I want to give her a shoutout! Overall, I was extremely impressed with the service, ambiance, and food at Izakaya Ichie. This restaurant was fun, creative, and welcoming. AND extremely affordable! Just $50 for three phenomenal menu items in 2025? At a sit down restaurant? Can't beat that. And if you say you can, you're lying lol. if you live in the Buena Park area you're spoiled with great Korean and Japanese food. And I wasn't in town long enough to try more spots. But Izakaya hit it out of the park and we were thoroughly impressed. There's just something about warm noodles on a cold, rainy night... it just hit different! TY Izakaya Ichie! read more

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The service was truly terrible. I asked a young female server for a refill of tea, but she never brought it. When I asked her again as she walked by, she replied, looking annoyed, that she was in the middle of boiling water. After a while, I asked another server, and she brought it right away. The young server wearing a cap was the worst. She never came to our table, and when she served the food, she just plopped it down on the table without saying a word. I went with two friends, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm never going back. They really need to train their servers on how to treat customers better‼ read more

We were staying in a nearby hotel and wanted a nice, hot dinner on this stormy night. The hubby and I trekked the wet, slick pavement for Izakaya Ichie and we were not disappointed! Upon entering, we were transported to such a unique and fun spot! Didn't feel like we were smack in the middle of a shopping center. Staff were friendly and we were seated quickly (restaurant filled up the later the night got). The husband ordered the Mentaiko Cream Udon and I ordered the Galbi Chop Steak Noodle; we split the chicken karaage duo which was sooo good. Both noodle dishes were satisfying and perfectly portioned. Wish we lived closer to come back more often! Highly recommend! read more

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This place is tucked away at one of the back corners of the plaza and definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a place to eat. The space is a little small but cozy. Our server was so sweet and consistently checked in despite there being a dinner rush as soon as we ordered. My top recommendations: - Mentaiko cream udon - subtle, light flavor but very easy to eat despite being a creamy sauce. - Galbi chop steak noodle - bold flavor, kind of reminded me of a garlic noodles but stir fried - Takoyaki - very tasty, good texture and filling to breading ratio We also had the yakitori platter, which is a great appetizer to share amongst a large group. It comes with a variety of skewers--our platter had bacon wrapped tomatoes, sausage, chicken, wings, and Korean meatballs. The bulgogi poutine fries are also great for sharing, but they do lean on the saltier side. read more

Izakaya Ichie - Takoyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

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Priced avg. $20-$30, service was good and friendly, clean restaurant with Japanese Izakaya vibes, think you're in Tokyo, ample garage parking wo fee given The Source BP Ordered Uni cream udon $~32. Uni cream udon can go sideways fast but Izakaya Ichie gets it right. The udon is thick and chewy and coated in a glossy velvety sauce that feels rich without turning fishy or flat. The uni seems blended into the base so it comes through as buttery ocean sweetness and deep umami instead of a sharp iodine hit. The cost for the portion seems high but it's a decent balance of quality over quantity. If you're looking for portion control, Izakaya Ichie may be a viable option. The nori and scallion add salt and toast and a little bite to cut the cream and the microgreens keep it from feeling too heavy. Mash the uni into the noodles while it is hot because if it sits the sauce tightens and the richness starts to dominate. If you like uni and you want something indulgent this bowl delivers. read more

Izakaya Ichie - Uni creamy udon - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

The workers here are the most sweetest to me and my partner every time we go. The food is amazing. read more

Izakaya Ichie - Galbi Chop Steak Noodle - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

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Tucked in a cute shopping center is Izakaya Ichie. A hidden gem. I visited on a cold and slow rainy Monday (rain in LA- what!!) Was greeted and sat down immediately- got an order of hot jasmine tea going right away to try and warm up since I felt like a wet rat coming off the street, dark, cold, wet from the rain- LOL. Within a minute they came out with some miso soup - which made my heart sing. I ordered the chirashi don ($25, pictured) and it came out quickly. It was tasty and a generous portion. A nice variety of items too. It was a slow day (who wants to leave their house on a cold rainy wet Monday?) and so the chef whipped up a tofu tuna appetizer (gratis, pictured) md asked me to try it. It was so good, and reminded me of a healthier alternative to the trending tuna crispy rice. Where this hit home was when I asked if there was a better way to get to my hotel- the owner actually came out and walked me to the entrance- unheard of. What a nice gesture. Between the great food and unprecedented kind hospitality i will absolutely be back, and highly recommend this place! read more

Izakaya Ichie - Chirashi Don - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

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The vibes inside are cute. We asked for ponzu and got approximately 3 0.2 oz servings of ponzu. Later when asking for a togo container we got 1 box for our 3 dishes. The server truly hated us for some reason. The best item here is the fries and yakitori. The sushi is not recommended was generally okay, fish was extremely thinly sliced, rice ratio was ok. Salmon came out a lil grey read more

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Came here because my wife wanted izakaya for her birthday dinner and we found this place on Yelp. We arrived around 5 PM and were only the second customers in the restaurant. The décor was nice, clean, and modern, but the lighting was a bit too dark for my liking -- I actually had to use my phone as a flashlight. We ordered the mentai udon, tapas omakase, and sushi set. The mentai udon had good flavor with a rich, creamy sauce, but unfortunately, the sushi was disappointing. The tuna had no flavor and didn't taste fresh, and the salmon also had a noticeable fishy smell. Most of the tapas were overly salty and nothing really stood out. The sushi roll was just a plain piece of salmon over rice, and the nigiri was average at best. It also would've been nice if the server explained what each dish was when they brought it out -- instead, we were left guessing. Service and timing could use improvement too; my udon came out first, and by the time my wife was almost done eating, the tapas and sushi finally arrived. Overall, this place has a nice atmosphere but needs better food quality, service, and timing. Unfortunately, we won't be returning. read more

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I would recommend this place for their fresh cuts of fish and the variety of food options they offer. Our favorite was the toro, salmon sashimi, and the Mentaiko Cream Udon dish. The chef was very hospitable and took great care of us! We will definitely be back again soon! read more

Izakaya Ichie - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

Wonderful service from Evangeline. She was so sweet and attentive. The food was delicious, the presentation was great and it came out shortly. It's a convenient spot to have dinner after browsing around the shops at The Source Would visit again! There was a birthday there BTW and I used the wand they had to call for service (1st picture) as a light stick for when everyone sang Happy Birthday. It was so lively. Loved it read more

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Perfect late night sushi place. My husband and I have a sushi date once as week and this place is on rotation. Eva and China are the best servers! They are so kind and welcoming. The salmon truffle is a must and the omakase bowl! read more

Izakaya Ichie - Omakase Bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

TLDR: poor quality, poor service It appears Izakaya Ichie has degenerated to catering to the crowd who thinks izakaya is a place for soju cocktails (which is Korean) and neon lights (which does not belong at any izakaya). Accompanying this devolution is the horrifying quality of fish, which rivals that of $35 AYCE sushi (there is no $35 AYCE in this economy). On top of that, there's one server for the entire restaurant (actually there might be two, but I only see one running for her life around the relatively large restaurant; my heart goes out to you girl). I get it - rent at the Source can't be cheap. But I have a problem if a restaurant is trying to cut costs on food quality and service quality. I don't know if it's better or worse that their kitchen items are pretty good, but how much can you trust a restaurant that is willing to serve the kind of sushi they do and call themselves a "sushi and izakaya" restaurant? read more

Izakaya Ichie - poor quality fish tbh - Sushi Bars Near Me - Buena Park, California

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Our server Evanji was very accomodating and nice. We ordered Crispy Dinasour, Takoyaki and Ultimate Salmon Beach. Two thubs up! Food was great. read more

Located at The Source, this place is on the first floor next to Basilur Tea and Ferry Donuts. I ended up here, on a weekday night, with a friend who was craving sashimi. I was immediately impressed with the cool decor and the mellow vibe of the place. Our waitress was pleasant but no-nonsense; no time for small talk nor react to my lame dad jokes. Not being a seafood person like my dining companion, I ordered the gyoza and karaage chicken. We were quickly provided a pitcher of water. The fried gyoza was excellent, the dumplings having crisp edges but otherwise soft, which is how I like them. The chicken was crisp outside and both hot and moist inside, being of good quality and quite tender. The chicken came with 3 dipping sauces, one of which was too spicy for my delicate taste buds. I used the sauces sparingly as I liked the flavor of the coating on its own. I thought the prices were reasonable and my food was delicious. read more

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stopped by on a Monday night for a bottle of soju, and I was honestly so impressed. The food quality was amazing -- everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. You can really tell they care about what they serve. The atmosphere was warm, cozy, and perfect for relaxing after a long day. It had such a great vibe without being too loud or overwhelming. The staff were incredibly kind and attentive. They made us feel very welcomed from the moment we walked in and checked on us just the right amount. Their service really elevated the whole experience. Overall, it was a fantastic visit, and I'll definitely be coming back again. Highly recommend this place if you're looking for great food, drinks, and a comfortable atmosphere! read more

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