We were seated immediately when we arrived for our reservation. Great service timely and friendly. The food was pretty good - nothing outstanding though. They do have a dessert menu. Cloth napkins would be nice. read more

if a restaurant still has Valentine's reservations available the day before, consider it a red flag. Unfortunately, this visit confirmed why. Shame on me for waiting until the last minute to book--but the availability should have been the real warning. The evening began with a fundamental misstep in pacing. The Caesar salad arrived with the main course, collapsing any sense of progression or structure to the meal. We also had to ask for bread--something that, on prior visits, arrived promptly with the wine. This time, the bread appeared only after both salad and entrée were already on the table. The server apologized for the delay, explaining they had to "make more." What arrived, however, was plainly sliced, cold bread--hardly something that required production time. The chicken marsala itself was a study in restraint--mostly empty plate, punctuated by a small, overcooked piece of chicken. Dry and lifeless, it was buried beneath a heavy mushroom gravy and paired with thick, gluey polenta that leaned more toward paste than comfort food. Balance was nowhere to be found. The Caesar salad offered little redemption. Greens that should have been cold and crisp were limp and tepid, while the croutons provided chew instead of crunch. These are foundational details, and when the basics falter, everything else feels off. Poor service compounded the lackluster experience. The staff appeared frantic and inexperienced, creating an atmosphere of disorganization rather than hospitality. Timing was off, attention inconsistent, and the overall rhythm of service never settled. Dining out--especially on a holiday meant for indulgence--should feel intentional. This meal felt rushed, underwhelming, and oddly careless. Between the meager portions, poorly executed dishes, awkward timing, and chaotic service, the evening landed squarely in disappointment. read more

Leader Block Wine & Eatery - Chicken Marsala - Wine Bars Near Me - Ferndale, Washington

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Stopped by just for a crepe.. I had the Salmon and Goat cheese.. so savory. This was the first day of their weekend brunches.. When I walked in there was a piano being played..sounded very nice.. It set the atmosphere. I was greeted right away and really enjoyed the service. I found out that they have a special 7 course meal once per month..paired with appropriate wines..This was my first time at this restaurant and I plan on coming back to try many of their wonderful sounding meals. My Server Dillon was so nice and the owner Roberto came by to check on my meal and introduced himself.. beautiful place! read more

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Christmas Eve Buffet at Leader Block - The worst! We had reservations at 6:30pm. The service was spotty....and the food was probably good when it was hot and first prepared, but who could tell? The 3 chaffing dishes were set up on tables in a storage room, and had not been replenished for hours. Very POOR presentation of this nice restaurant! I would never recommend going to the Leader Block for a Buffet! Expensive for what it was - $over $200 for two people with one glass of house wine and Gratuity. Disappointing! read more

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I have no excuse for not trying this place for years. And I am really glad that we came here. We did it mid week to grab the happy hour and as we walked in, I was pretty surprised how beautiful the place was. White tablecloths, and everything... Beautiful. Our server was fantastic, attentive, and very kind. And the authenticity of their Italian cooking is outstanding! Honestly, everything we ate was absolutely fantastic... Can't wait to come back read more

Leader Block Wine & Eatery - Cambozola - Wine Bars Near Me - Ferndale, Washington

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Delicious food. Nice salad combination with beets. The lasagne would have been better plated. It was a generous serving and deserved a star role. Loose the weird veg. PLEASE GET CLOTH NAPKINS. Especially considering the quality of the food and $$ 5 stars for a nice anniversary dinner Thank you read more

Terrible food and really overpriced. I was so disappointed. We were seated quickly, but the quality of the ingredients was way below my expectations, given the amount spent on the decor. read more

This review is for Leader Block Trattoria & Bar that was opened six weeks ago. Spoke with the co-owner Roberto. Noted that they open for brunch from 11a -3p on Saturday. They also have happy hour. Roberto mentioned they may do brunch on Sunday as well. So check out their hours on the website. I have also submitted edits to yelp to update business hours. Brunch here is good - they offer a varieties of egg Benedicts. I enjoyed the vegetarian Benedict with avocado, tomato, and cake polenta. The crab Benedict and salmon Benedict is also tasty with crispy bun. Attentive and friendly service here. I didn't get to try any of the dinner menu. But the Caprese is spectacular! Location wise, It is half an hour from the US canada border. read more

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we sat in the bar for a long time and ordered happy hour menu items ( two women). the servers were "polite" but not at all engaging. the food was right out of the microwave--cold around the edges. my salad was made with the pale leaves of lettuce--for being billed as "bellingham's best" i am sorry i spent the money on it. my advice, you would do better to buy a frozon meal at grocery outlet and eat at home. read more

The buffet was pathetic. Very few choices and tasted like it was rewarmed food. The dishes were half full or less. There was one slice of overdone prime rib and lukewarm gravy. The cost was $65 per person. There were four of us and they added a 24% gratuity to the bill. Then they added the buffet costs to the gratuity and charged sales tax on that total. Quite the ripoff. read more

Was at Leader's last summer with friends. My pasta w/ mushrooms was undercooked, dry and chewy, with few mushrooms...could barely eat it. A friend's order, despite her clear instructions to the waiter to OMIT BLACK PEPPER, was COVERED with black pepper and was completely inedible. So--no main course for her! No comp! She was offered a 'free' dessert. Insulting! Such expensive and really awful food and service! We were disappointed and chalked it up to a BAD day. But last night, after a major shopping day after the holidays, my daughter and I wound up at Leader's because they had the chicken Caesar we decided on. We ordered appetizers. We had to ask for more bread for the oil and vinegar, as we got only 3 small slices...and our waitperson 'forgot.' When the 'salad' came, which we asked to be split, we were served 2 small bowls nearly drowned in dressing with limp lettuce...which we didn't even finish. Our polenta with pesto was small but OK, but the final straw--after the slow food service--was when we asked for a creme brulee to go. We waited and waited and finally our server AGAIN told us she 'forgot' and finally handed us the 'creme brulee' in a to-go container. For two dinky salads, her 'forgetting' bread, sparkling water, and 'forgetting' this mess of a creme brulee---we were charged $70. read more

Leader Block Wine & Eatery - Wine Bars Near Me - Ferndale, Washington

Excellent Italian food & wines. Nice ambience. Pricey but good. You can sit in the wine bar or the main restaurant

I had high expectations for this place, and unfortunately none were met. I walked into the restaurant excited because this place was rated "Best Italian" from the Bellingham Alive in 2023. We were seated fairly quickly and were given an option of three different types of water: sparkling water, spring water imported from Italy, and regular water. The menu given was mostly in Italian and the environment appeared to be fancy -- I was pretty impressed... at first. First moment of the night that was off was that 45 minutes went by and we didn't have our order taken (I gave grace because they claimed they were having a busy night). We finally ordered and got the cambozola appetizer after a recommendation from the waitress. We also ordered the Linguine Vongole and Gemelli con funghi al salsiccia. Another 15 minutes go by and we got the appetizer. This was the best part of the night. The only delicious item we had here that night. After another 15 minutes we got the entrees. I was not impressed, the pasta dishes seemed WAY to watery. I mean, look at the pictures. It lacked flavor, and I was still hungry afterwards (which is very rare for me when I eat out). Not to mention these dishes were over $30 EACH. I would expect not to be hungry after a more than $30 plate and $18 appetizer. Overall, was not impressed with the food for the price. I have friends who have eaten here about a year ago and they really loved it. I heard they have recently changed management within the past year, so obviously something must have changed from before. I expect exquisite food if I am going to pay that much for each plate. The quality was not there, and I could name a few cheaper Italian restaurants in Bellingham with better food. Also, obviously understaffed. read more

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This was our second visit since they changed owners a few years ago. We took some friends who mostly enjoyed their pork tenderloin and the carbonara. My wife ordered a Caesar salad but when they finally brought it, they said they were out of romaine?? so they made it with spinach. She grudgingly accepted it but this is on a Saturday early dinner 5:00 PM. She had the linguini with clams and she did liked it. I ordered the fettuccini with smoked salmon which was tasty but maybe had 2 ounces of 'minced' salmon. A couple of issues. We had a reservation at 5 but did not get any food items till 5:50. We were the only customers.... My fettuccine arrived on what the waiter said was very very hot plate. Also the fettuccine dish was 'compacted' in the middle of the plate which to me suggests it was probably 'leftover' and microwaved to the max. It did taste ok but the 'presentation' was off. Overall we were more disappointed, our friends found it OK, but all in all I think the food is over-priced and thus this will be our last visit. read more

This is a fantastic little Italian restaurant. If you're in Ferndale, looking for a really good dinner, this would be the spot. we ordered the Bolognese was not disappointed. They also have a good selection of wines. If you're looking for seafood or shellfish, you might want to come on a Friday through the weekend. read more

We are not from Whatcom, but found this very nice Italian restaurant just off I-5 in Ferndale after our tour of the Pioneer Village. What a suprise. It turns out just about a year ago the restaurant was remodeled with a nice upscale feel more like Italian country with full bar and friendly and professional servers along with the manager that checked in with us. We skipped the antipasto and insalata, Zuppe and went for the primo course of a shared order of the Linguini Vongole with manila clams, sundried tomato, butter, wine, lemon and Italian parsley which was fresh and balanced throughout. Our second courses were the Costata Di Manzo which is a very nice and thick Black Angus ribeye topped with carmelized onions and mushrooms in a mesquite butter. Yum. The potatoes and asparagus was also cooked to perfection. The other Second course was a fall off the bone and melt in your mouth Ossobuco, which is a braised pork shank with sofrito braisage, risotto alla Milanese with seasoned vegetables. So good. We topped of our wonderful dinner with a very fresh chocolate mousse topped with a creme and rasberry sauce. You could taste the cocoa and rasberry intensely. I recommend Leader Block and will be back to try more dishes. read more

This place was so good! We are just leaving and already planning our next visit! My husband got the prime rib and it was mouth watering and just made to perfection! My carbonara was the best Ive had! They don't have it on the menu but was offered Mac and cheese for our daughter (1yr) and it was so good that I'm tempted to order it myself next time!! My MIL had the scallops and she cleared her plate- the service was great so friendly and personable it made the night so great! Thank you for a delicious dinner!! Can't wait to dig into the tiramisu later tonight!! read more

The food was below par. We were there on the night when they were hosting a wedding so we also waited a long time for our food. Portions were small and the quality of the items (lasagna and pasta alfredo) was most disappointing. We will not return. read more

Superb kitchen & service skills dishes up local farm to table with pride. Owner greeting gives an authentic "welcome to our home" dining experience. The Osso Bucco is epic & tiramisu is transformative. Bar craft mixes will have you enjoying unique tastes. Don't be in a hurry & ask your host "what's good tonight" and trust their suggestions. Yes it is pricey-- get over it; Very much top of Whatcom County's dining choices for a reason. read more

We moved to Ferndale last August and were planning dinner there for our 43rd anniversary. We started with Hendrix martinis with were very good and a generous portion. We had 2 appetizers. Cesear salad and a beet, orange and arugula salad. They split both for us which was wonderful. Both were delicious and again generous portions. I had the veal with was wonderful, my wife had the lasagna which she found delicious. Unfortunately the presentation, served in a small casserole dish with a sprig of salty cold broccoli lying next to it, not expected. We ordered a bottle of wine which they were out off and our waitress recommended a substitute which was perfect. I had the chocolate mousse, and she had the pannacotta. My mousse was fantastic both in flavors and presentation. Overall the minuses are there is a wait in the service, but we actually were happy to extend the dinning experience. It was a longer than expected time until our drink order was taken. Cloth napkins would have been nice. And, be ready for an expensive meal. The pluses are the wonderful friendly staff, the ambiance and the food. read more

It's been several years since I've been there But the times I was there the service was very slow and the food nothing special .One time we waited for over 45 minutes before seeing a server and getting our menus. I was not impressed at all despite its many good reviews.Hope things have improved since then read more

Diamond in the woods! Our new favorite place to enjoy a gorgeous anniversary dinner with drinks and dessert! The staff is excellent and ensured we had a great table, gorgeous ambiance and food! Could not believe how great the food was and completely blew us away! Cannot wait to get another reason to celebrate or just have another chance to eat here! read more

Yet another mediocre three star restaurant in Ferntucky, Washington. This place is WAY too overpriced for the quality of food they provide. They gave us a hard time when we asked for bread with our last takeout order, stating they don't provide bread with takeout...which pissed me off enough to not go back. Who eats Italian food without bread? It's sacrilegious - even if it's mediocre food! read more

Total disaster on Valentine's Day. They stuck us in a back room that was freezing, we had to keep our winter coats on the whole time. Ordered the 4 course dinner, after 90 minutes we were only served one course, we asked multiple times when the second one was coming ? they said they would check on it multiple times but it never showed up. Thanks for ruining our Valentines Day, we will not be returning ever again. read more

Why haven't I gone in here sooner?! I've been missing out. You can tell the cook is passionate about Italian food, and really knows what he is doing. I had a magnificent scallop and. Risotto dish and dad had pork loin in an amazing sauce. We had Manhattan's made properly from the cutest little bar. This place is full of character and soul. They have two separate rooms for small parties that you can reserve and they host wine dinners and some other fun things. I can't wait to go back. I want to try everything on the menu it all looks so good. I would highly recommend this for a date night or a special time out because the ambience is very cozy, quiet and softly lit. read more

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Had high hopes with first impression until the staff which have no training in fine dining. Didn't know the menu. Couldn't or didn't know if seafood was local. The antipasto needed sufficient bread for the amount on the platter. I ordered crab bisque which should be a creamy crab tasting bisque. But just was more like a tomato soup with 2 pieces of crab at the bottom. But worst was yet to come. My main course was a braised pork shank which requires some time to prepare. I was OK with that. So when a mouthful was stone cold as in refrigerator cold I knew what I'd been served. Reheated food prepped God only knows when. My wife's Caesar salad looked more like a bag salad you buy at the supermarket shelf. Not a Caesar salad for a restaurant touting to be best in PNW. Her chicken picatta was way to salty, lacked lemon sauce and was supposed to come with asparagus but substituted was fried radishes. Never in my life has anyone done that and had anyone enjoy it. Hard as rock fried balls. At that point the meal was over and we wanted a refund. If this restaurant wants to play in the league of fine dining I'd suggest employ staff who know service and have a passion for the food they serve. 2nd. Get a real chef. Someone who has been to Italy and can work with all the amazing fresh ingredients at his/her's finger tips. As for the tiramisu what was a comp. Upon opening the box it was given to us it looked as if it had been scraped up off the floor. Never again I'm afraid. As for pricing. I'm OK paying $300 for an experience. This experience is one I'd rather forget. read more

This was my first time visiting and unfortunately it will be my last. Waited 45 minutes on a slow Tuesday night for my pasta special. Not even exaggerating on the wait time. When my food finallyyy arrived, it wasn't what I ordered (I ordered the squid ink special but the chef used the wrong pasta ) Owner offered to remake it but I was absolutely starving by that point so I said I would eat it. Was hoping the owner would comp something for the long wait and the wrong food but his only response was "sometimes people make mistakes". Poor form by management let alone the owner in my opinion. Won't be returning for another go. read more

Came last night for the first time had a few bottles of pinot noir to share and the brussles they were cooked perfectly but pretty dry needed more balsamic and the bruschetta to start....I got the scallops with the mushroom risotto and damn was it delicious my husband had the burger and seafood bisque he thoroughly enjoyed it the service was great we will be back read more

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Literally just left after waiting for 25min and no one even stopped to take a drink order. It's slow with plenty of open tables, the waitress passed our table at least 15 times, and the owner was walking around checking on the table across from us with a group he appears to know. Waitress made eye contact numerous times then offered to take care of us on our way out the door. Sorry, too little too late. Nonexistent service which is sad because we wanted to stick to a local Ferndale restaurant and really wanted to try the Leader Block. Unfortunately we weren't the only table left hanging either. We'll happily drive further to Lombardis or D'Annas in Bellingham instead. read more

What a delightful surprise, we had such a lovely meal at this restaurant. I haven't had Italian food this tasty in a very long time. We had a shrimp appetizer that was cooked perfectly, and the lasagna which was exquisite. It had the perfect balance of ingredients. Definitely a great value too considering the excellent service m, fresh ingredients and culinary expertise. We will definitely be back! read more

They need to take down their sign "Voted Best Italian Restaurant in the Pacific Northwest " 2023. It's not true by any means

Beautiful restaurant, great ambiance. Had really high hopes. Cocktails were lovely. We ordered off the specials sheet -- my fault for not asking for prices. Scallops pappardelle was disappointing: scallops tasted fishy and old, overcooked and rubbery, pasta was too lemony, only flavor in the dish came from a heavy sprinkling of sun dried tomatoes. Waitress informed me that they were out if pappardelle and would be substituting fettuccine. The pork loin dish was flavorful but the pork was dry. We were hungry and cleaned our plates without mentioning any problems to waitress. We don't like to complain. However, We were shocked to receive the bill -- each "special" was priced at $49, far above the average entree price ~ $35. Lessons learned. We won't go back. 3 stars are for the cocktails. read more

Wow! This place is fantastic! Driving up, the minute I laid eyes on LB, I was smitten. The beautiful, well-thought out exterior promised a fabulous experience within. That promise was kept in spades. The place is charming inside and out. And the food and beverages were incredible as was the service. The LB Bellini was lovely--though trying to drink through the sorbet was a bit awkward--yet so imaginative! So points for that. I very much liked the Empire Strikes Back--not sure why the name, but it was like a pineapple rye martini and very refreshing. A great drink for summer as I cool my heels waiting for that to happen here again. For an appetizer, we had the vongole--according to the menu, manilla clams steamed in pinot grigio, butter, tomatoes, garlic and herbs. According to my mouth, I need to figure out how to make this at home. When it came time to order my main dish, this was so good, I almost ordered it again. But instead I had more amazement: gamberetti bisque--a rich and cream-based seafood soup that was decadent and delicious; a taste of my friend's wonderful capasante--seared scallops, risotto and mushrooms; and, my main dish, the polletto--orecchiette noodles, pesto, chicken that was almost "pulled," peppers, shallots and cheese. Divine!!! I am now lucky with leftovers. For dessert, I had an affogato which was a drink of espresso, ice cream and amaretto. What's not to love? And, speaking of love, we were in love with our server, Brittany. She was wonderful--a combination of charm, enthusiasm, helpful information and consideration. She made great suggestions upon request. I ordered the fabulous polletto because of her advice. I had her pick a wine for me. She playfully asked me if I was bold. (I am.) She brought me a Juggernaut Cabernet that was fabulous. She was very gracious about interrupting us, and she was completely attentive to our needs in thoughtful ways. I can't imagine anything better than this wonderful experience. read more

I wanted to give this place five stars food and wine were very good- but the specific night we went in 9-13 We were seated right away which was great not to many people in the waitresses were all over the place in our section didn't really seem to know who had us for a table- we dealt with the what I would assume is the manager/ owner more than anything (he was fantastic) the red headed waitress was good but again it was very confusing who was actually out waitress we ordered our food and were told later it was going to be a little longer than planned everyone came in at once and they were short staffed in the kitchen (no problem) so they brought us some more bread (I asked for some butter to the manager guy) I heard the blonde waitress say she would take it out to us as he got the butter she never showed up instead went on to other tables then talked to one table for about 15 minutes then the manager asked if I had got it I said no, another table who had been there I'm assuming easily 30 minutes to an hour before us had waited on their meal for over two hours and finally one guy said give me the tab we are leaving but then his food appears. So then not long and we get our food and it was wrong we got a protein style dish with a form of grits instead of the pasta we asked for- I wanted to have them make it right one way or another but my boyfriend said to not worry about it- as it had already taken forever to get it in the first place.. so all in all the food and wine is amazing but the service and kitchen seem very unorganized and the manager guy is the only one who really seems organized and keeping things in order with out him guarantee the night would have been terrible- and for the price you pay you expect more read more

So good! We will be coming back to this hot spot again! The staff are super nice and the atmosphere is fine dining. The prices are great too! read more

Leader Block Wine & Eatery - Risotto is on point ! - Wine Bars Near Me - Ferndale, Washington

Amazing Italian food, probably the best In Whatcom county. The ambiance is great and it's the authentic Italian restaurant experience right down to the owner/manager coming to your table to check on you or let you know the specials. Exceptional service! The only complaint I have is with the tiramisu. It was way too sweet and not the typical tiramisu flavor that I was looking for. Everything else is above and beyond. read more

Service was fine. Food was atrocious. I've eaten at Leader Block many times and enjoyed it. But, months ago, it was shut down for a change in managers and clearly a change in chef's. How sad :(. My wife and I had the Crab Bisque. It wasn't a seafood bisque, not sure what is was as it was dark, earthy, brown, and spicy hot. No semblance of seafood anything. It wasn't Cajun. Maybe they were going for French as it tasted as though it had Dijon mustard in it. It was vile. Nothing short of disgusting. Then, we had Capesente. It got worse. The risotto was bland, pasty, and served with overcooked, lifeless, basted in unseasoned chicken stock veggies. When having a Nissan Cup Of Noodles has more flavor than your risotto, you're doing it wrong. The scallops were nicely seasoned, however, they were cooked far too long as they were crispy and rubbery. And to top it off, we got to pay $125 plus tip for this way beyond subpar food. I certainly won't be back. I suggest you look elsewhere. Not worth the money, not worth your time, no thank you. read more

Ate here with wife and friend Got the chef special app plate, several tasty house made items on that. Wife and I each got the duck Outstanding meal, the duck and sauces were wonderful. The cauliflower and beans were both different and tasty, I usually don't like cauliflower but really like this one. For $23 it was an excellent meal and deal ! We got two housemade desserts for the three of us to share, they were both good but the cheesecake portion was too small especially for the price, My wife and I will absolutely be going back Our favorite Italian restaurant in whatcom county now! read more

First the pros: A warm ambiance, exactly what I hoped an Italian restaurant would feel and look like; soft red decor, subtle lighting, and a friendly, welcoming wait staff that made you feel at home. A lovely wine list, and a suggestion from the server that turned out to be excellent and just want I wanted. Salads that were nicely seasoned and fresh. Now the not-so-pros: The dishes were heavy on the sauces with so many ingredients that they blurred and lost their character. This included a pesto pasta where the pesto was overshadowed by lemon, white wine, capers, and untold other ingredients. A putanesca that would have been excellent had it not been drenched -- literally drenched -- in sauce. A salmon dish that committed a cardinal sin against fresh fish by overcooking it. The place is pricey and aspires to be classy. So please replace cheap paper napkins with linen. I want this place to succeed. It has a ton of potential and I wish I could give it another star. I am going to give it another shot in a few months and really hope to give it 5 stars then. read more

My husband and I are new to Ferndale, and were excited to try the Happy Hour at Leader Block. We read about it on their website, where it is predominant with a tab that leads you to a full Happy Hour menu, says what times it is available, what the discount on well drinks and select beer is, and that you need to sit in the bar. We made sure that we were there before 5 so we could get a seat at the bar, and were surprised when we walked in that the bar was empty. When we were approached by a bald gentleman who asked if he could help us we said we were there for happy hour and we would be heading to the bar he shocked us by saying "There is no happy hour. Where did you see that?" My husband pulled out his phone, went to their website and showed him. His response was "well, we're thinking of doing that in January, but it certainly won't be on a Saturday night". He offered no apology, and no compensation. We decided that since we were there we might as well have dinner, although we weren't prepared to have a sit down dinner at this very expensive restaurant. After we ordered, our waitress asked if we would like bread. We asked if it was included, and she said it was. When we agreed she brought a small plate with two tiny crostini and a small dish of a spread. Ridiculous. Things started looking up when the cambozola we ordered as an appetizer was delicious, but then our main course pastas showed up just a few minutes later, long before we were finished with the first course. The pasta dishes were good, not great. We ordered the chocolate tart with walnut crust for dessert, and there was NO walnut crust on the tiny slice! For all this our bill was over $100 before tip. Needless to say, we don't recommend coming here. It is absolutely not worth the high prices. read more

Leader Block Wine & Eatery - The beginning of the long happy hour menu we were looking forward to, and told didn't exist. - Wine Bars Near Me - Ferndale, Washington

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