This is a little hole in the roll restaurant in a strip mall. It is clearly frequented by members of the Ethiopian community as a hangout. We were seated at a table in the corner. Our server identified that at least one of us was vegetarian. My wife had the vegetarian combo and I had a meat combo. In my case of meat combo consists of lamb, a chicken leg, and the dryish beef. As others had noted, it can take a little while to place your order. We enjoyed our food and look forward to coming back. read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Vegetarian combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Teff Luck A family-owned and run restaurant that's been serving up fresh, housemade Ethiopian cuisine for nearly twenty years in SJ's Westside. It's also been featured in the SF Chronicle's list of "Best Ethiopian Restaurants," which is a miracle unto itself since the Chronicle barely acknowledges anything outside of The City™. The Good: * Large shared parking lot * Outdoor dog-friendly seating * If you're sharing, make sure they plate it up family-style so everything is all on one plate. * Service was, well, serviceable. Not fantastic but not awful. * Injera was delicious and copious * Vegan, Vegetarian, and gluten-free friendly dishes * Great prices and large portions; we were able to get three meals out of two dishes and that's for less than $50! That's practically unheard of in this day and age. * If this is your first time eating Ethiopian--and if so, what took you so long??--then I recommend getting the veggie and meat samplers to get a true taste of Ethiopian cuisine. The Meh: * Their spicy isn't really that spicy. * They were out of Sambusas on our visit. I think they hadn't made them yet for the day as we were there pretty soon after opening. The Ugly: * The location is a little grungy and not an ideal date night location, but good enough for a casual lunch or suppah. Conclusion: We're blessed here in SJ with some fantastic Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants and Selam is certainly one of the better ones. https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/best-ethiopian-restaurants-sf-bay-area/ read more

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Came here on a Sunday at around 2PM. It's a small-midsized restaurant with a few tables available, and a single restroom - very sterile looking actually. Service was fine, waiter came to take our order pretty quickly but the food did take some time (10~15 minutes?). There were four of us and we ordered the veggie combo, meat combo, and half and half meat with Misto and Minchet Wot. Everything came out on one giant injera, and we also received a basket with some cut up injera to share. It was a pretty sourdough/tangy flavor with a nice stretchy texture that was the right level of thinness. I don't know if it was because we were all hungry - or it just looked and tasted that good - but we absolutely devoured it... Everything was so delicious. From the stewed veggie options, to the tender goat and beef mixtures, we honestly inhaled everything. The chicken drumstick was fall off the bone and juicy/flavorful, and the vegan cheese (?) was light and the texture was reminiscent of feta. The collard greens were hearty and had a good chew to them without being fibrous. It's also important to note that this wasn't super costly. It was less than $20 per person (4), and offered plenty of variety and goodness. We even got the baklava which was pretty standard, nothing too excellent but a nice way to add a sweet treat. Definitely will be paying another visit when I'm in the area!! read more

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The food was decent and offered some unique flavors. I enjoyed trying a few different dishes, though some items were better than others. The atmosphere was comfortable, and the staff were polite. Overall, it was an okay experience, but there were a few details that could be improved. read more

The food is fantastic. I hadn't seen the Telba dishes at any other Ethiopian restaurant and recommend you try a side of it. I always get the 50/50 combo so I get a meat and a veggie dish. All dishes we've had have been great. My only concern with Selma is the incredibly slow service. read more

Was craving Ethiopian food and wanted to try a new restaurant- so glad I found Selam because I'll definitely be adding them to my rotation! Not only did Selam have fantastic food, but the service was amazing. My friend and I lost track of time while catching up, and they never rushed us even after they already closed. We ordered the vegetarian combo + kitfo per their recommendation (akin to a beef tartare). I loved how diverse the vegetarian combo was, flavors in a set usually blend into eachother, but each dish held its own here with various spices and textures- it was so fun to eat! The butter from the kitfo added richness without being overpowering, I'd get this again to share with a larger party. Portion sizes are huge- we ended up having enough leftovers for another meal. Thanks Selam for the great meal, I'll be back to try the telba wot, doro wot, and house honey wine!!! read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Absolutely delicious food and amazing portions. I have the meat combo and I was eating it for two days. So flavorful and fresh, I will definitely be coming back here again. It's very very good. read more

Selam is perhaps my second time having Ethiopian food, and I have to admit it was what I expected. There was no wait on a Monday afternoon - understandably so - and my friend and I ordered a vegetable combo and beef tebes. All items in the vegetable combo were tasty and spiced well - some arguably too well. Aside from being a "choose your own adventure" experience, we found some of the food too salty / unexpectedly spicy - recommend confirming spice levels before ordering. The beef tebes were a tad on the tougher side, but otherwise flavorful and tasty. Service felt like fast food - order and pay at the counter. The staff member does bring it out, but after that it's pretty much a "have at it." For two people, this was definitely more than enough food, and we weren't able to finish the injira. read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Vegetable Combo and Beef Tebes - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Tried the food at Selam- they have several vegan options including some different dishes which I haven't seen anywhere like Telba wot (flaxseed) Their veggie platter was great too. The cafe is small with indoor and outdoor tables. Luckily there wasn't any wait time, so we got a table right away, however the service was slow. It took almost 25-30 mins for food to arrive. Otherwise food was good. read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Vegetarian and Vegan Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Best of Bay , hands down! I've tried all 4 Ethiopian places near this location and the food here is flavorful and not oily. The people here show Pride, passion. Plus!!! Their prices are 30 % lower than the nearest place. 11 stars ! read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Ordered veggie combo, meat combo and gored gored. Most of the items had jalapeño slices on them. Everything was very well seasoned. I loved that they all came on separate trays as orders made me feel they weren't lessening the amount you'd get if they all came on the same platter. This place serves gored gored which are cubed beef pieces they maybe raw but the sauce masked it. Ambiance it's very cozy and simplistic. I was so happy I picked this one as it was open later. This is definitely top 3 of my Bay Area Ethiopian spots. This one has both Ethiopian and Eritrean dishes. Definitely will be back again. read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Veggie combo and meat combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Poor service, we ended up leaving. We waited 50 minutes for our food, only for the server to tell us that the chef has yet to come to the restaurant to even start cooking the food. He said the chef was supposed to come at 10:00am (opening), and it was 11:30am and she had yet to arrive. We wish we were notified earlier that the chef was not here so we could go to a different restaurant, since we were under a time constraint. Very unprofessional, and a massive waste of our time. We left the restaurant after waiting nearly an hour for no food. read more

Stopped by for an early dinner. Interior is basic and barebones, pretty tiny (there are maybe 8 small tables inside). Started filling up by the time we were finishing up our food. The service was great, as the gentleman helping us was kind, prompt, and helpful. The food was amazing. I've had a few other popular Ethiopian restaurants in San Jose, but the meat combination at Selam was the best I've tried. Seriously so good, and cheaper than other similar restaurants as well. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Meat Combination - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

This family-owned spot is the real deal.Super authentic and flavorful, tastes just like home cooking. Place is also spotless and the people are so friendly. The portions are generous and filling. If you want a taste of real Ethiopian food in a chill, welcoming place, Selam is it! Highly recommend! We had the Vegetarian and meat combo plate, it was good enough for four people. read more

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10am Saturday morning 1st customers in. Food wasn't the best i've had but it wasn't had neither. good customer service and comfortable and quiet outdoor seating. read more

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For an old school,Much like the place that used to be in downtown Campbell The Selma combination was decent, not rave worthy but the assortment of stable Ethiopian items was also a good value The grain, Teff *, they make the fluffy bread from is gluten free and actually good for you. It's cozy and small and much nicer inside than the center it's in! I probably would return. read more

Delicious, authentic food in a cozy setting. The injera platter with doro wat and misir wat was flavorful and satisfying. Friendly service and a great spot for sharing a meal. Highly recommend! read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

Such a hidden gem! I first came here during the pandemic, and I recently came back when I was in the area and the food is still just as good as I remember. My go-to is their vegetarian plate. Everything is perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the portions are generous. Peruse their menu, as they have so many other delicious options! This is a family run restaurant, and the care and quality really shines through in their service and consistency. When you visit, you'll find lots of regulars - always a good sign and speaks to a sense of community here. Support your local business - you'll be a fan too :) read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Vegetarian plate (to-go order) - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Was super hungry and wanted to share the large portion meat combo in this small cozy neighborhood hangout. There is a table outside and 4-5 tables inside. They provided water and silverware if you prefer in lieu of traditional method eating with fingers. Easy to find parking and was seated immediately. read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

We came in as a group of five at 10:45 AM--45 minutes after their posted opening time. After placing our food and coffee orders, we waited 35 minutes with no sign of either. We politely asked the waiter to check on it since one of us had to leave for work, and he said he'd take care of it. Another 15 minutes passed--still nothing. When we followed up again, we were told the chef wasn't even there yet! Why weren't we informed earlier? It was a complete waste of time and incredibly frustrating. Absolutely NOT recommended! read more

It had been a while since I had Ethiopian food and that's how we ended up here. First of all the waiter who I am also assuming is the owner had the most kind, gentlest heartwarming smile. The kids made a ruckus as usual about eating something new so we just placed an order for one combo with three veggie dishes and one chicken tibs. We also wanted to try the sambusa but they were out of it. We could hear them cooking away in the kitchen while we waited, and it came out in reasonable time. Everything looked and tasted fresh. Though lentils, chicken and vegetables are also common in other cuisines like Indian, the flavors and spices used here seemed different and unique. The injera was beautiful, fluffy and not too sour. I had ordered chickpeas dish as part of the combo but got cabbage instead, when I pointed that out our waiter immediately apologized and came back with a nice big piping hot bowl of the chickpeas dish. For $17, two of us had a pretty filling meal. I kind of felt bad as I found the restaurant mostly empty whenever I had passed by. They make good and fresh food and definitely deserve more attention! read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Injera on the side - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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What a gem! Why had I not found this fantastic Ethiopian restaurant in San Jose before now? So much variety, with authentic dishes I remembered having while on a trip to Addis Ababa... they even have traditional breakfast dishes that most Ethiopian eateries in the area do not. The flax seed and mushroom dishes with gomen are unique, tasty, and superb.If you are a meat eater, you won't be disappointed either. Try it! You'll love it! read more

Go to Ethiopian place for us. Our usual order is vegetarian combo and shiro. Shiro that we got this time was piping hot and a bit more oily than usual. Yummy though. It was plenty for both of us. Got some shiro and rolls back home as well read more

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Extremely casual local watering hole with pretty bare bones service, but decent budget Ethiopian food on the menu. There were a couple standout aspects, but overall the dishes were pretty underseasoned and below par. Definitely great on value and if you're on a budget as it's certainly cheaper than nearby alternatives, but I personally think you're better off looking elsewhere. Given how everyone raves about the spot, did I just come at a really bad time? As far as service goes, at least we got our food in pretty good time. Food came out within 10 minutes. Beyond that though, it was quite lacking as we had to frequently make additional requests frequently (no napkins, no water, not enough injera etc.) and every time we couldn't grab a staff member before they disappeared. It's impressive how they still managed to get the peeps around us their beers. At least we got napkins to wipe our hands before we left. Perhaps we just caught them at a bad time on a Saturday night, but the menu on display was pretty limited with just five possible dishes (our request for the menu was a simple upwards gesture). We opted for their Beef Tibs and the Veggie Combo which came out to just short of $35 after tax and tip. Quite the steal for a massive platter of food. I'd place Selam as the cheapest option for Ethiopian I've had so far, but also close to the lowest quality food I've had for the cuisine thus far. The injera barely had any sour taste to it at all, had pretty minimal volume to it, and broke apart fairly easily. We didn't get a whole lot of injera either, and we never found out if we could request more by the time we finished our meal. The beef tibs sauce was decently seasoned with a strong buttery flavor, but the beef itself was no good; way too tough and pretty far overcooked. The vegetable dishes were generally fine, but critically underseasoned (except for the red lentils which were great). The onions/beans was a different dish I hadn't had before and it had a pretty mellow but pleasant flavor to it, but was extremely watery and just went everywhere. The carrot/cabbage was undercooked there were firm carrot slices. The salad was a nice freebie consisting of lettuce and tomatoes with a lemon squeeze. The green lentils were decent with a good texture, but didn't really have much flavor to them beyond the lentil aroma. The same can be said for the yellow split peas and collard greens, which I found equally lacking. The red lentils were the only standout dish that was bold and well seasoned, which unfortunately isn't quite enough to carry the whole meal. If the rest of their dishes were like their red lentils I could see its high rating being justified, but as it stands I'm not sure what happened. read more

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My absolute favorite for ethiopian food! Everything here is delcious! HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Great prices too!

I'm pretty much down to try anything...within reason (no furries). But, damn... I was not prepared for Dulet. It was first time seeing Dulet on the menu and as an offal lover, I wanted to try it. It's beef tripe, liver, and ground beef... But, I didn't know it was served entirely raw. First thought, "Ohhh sh*eeeet". I legit thought my ( l ) cheeks would be hugging the porcelain throne for the rest of the weekend. I was fine but yea be forewarned, maybe request it cooked a teeny bit if you're scurred. I was. Making my rounds through the various Ethiopian restaurants in the South Bay and next up, Selam! They've been open for over 15 years but pretty under the radar compared to their competitors with less than 100 reviews. We were the only non-Ethiopian customers so it seemed promising. They're open for takeout, delivery, indoor dining (handful of tables), and outdoor dining (7-8 tables). Staff wears masks. M E N U Breakfast and all-day Ethiopian menu. You can mix 'n match items and combos are available (best value!). Regular and gluten-free injera available. Beer and honey wine available. With rising food costs and inflation, Selam is HELLA cheap. Literally, ordered enough for 5 people and it was only $51 pre-tip. F O O D ***Food spread: https://bit.ly/3vb2EHW * Doro Wot: Spicy chicken stew w/ bone-in drumstick, hardboiled egg ($15.99) ***Available on Saturdays only. ***Add extra hardboiled egg (+$1). Doro wot is my fav Ethiopian dish and this one was decent. Other Ethiopian restaurants usually only give you one drumstick but Selam gives you two. The chicken was tender and easily pulled off the bone with a piece of injera in hand. This is just a preference, I prefer a more saucy doro wot (this more like chicken with stewed onions). Also, it was not as richly spiced and spicy with berbere spices as I expected it to be. * 1/2 and 1/2 Meat Lover ($13.99) --Kitfo, raw: Ethiopian beef tartare w/ aiyb Proper soft texture with a buttery mouthfeel but light in spices (no side of mitmita). The aiyb (Ethiopian cottage cheese) was mild and not overly salty which I appreciate. --Dulet, raw: Beef tripe, liver, and lean ground beef ***Menu states lamb tripe but it's beef tripe. I love tripe and liver but this was not my jam. The dulet had a gristly texture and needed more spices to mask the gamey, barnyard funk. Would be down to try it again elsewhere though. * Vegetarian & Vegan Combo - Shiro: chickpea stew, misir wot: split red lentils, kik wot: yellow split peas, gomen: collard greens, and atakilt wat: cabbage, potatoes, and carrots ($13.99) Usually, I find that the veggie/vegan dishes outshine the meat dishes at Ethiopian restaurants but it seems were given the Americanized version. My fav was the misir wot which packed the most flavor but the spices and heat were very tamed for the entire combo (the gomen and atakilt wat were bland). The textures were on-point though and the lentil dishes were deliciously creamy with a bite. A basket of injera (Ethiopian fermented flatbread) is provided with every entrée, though not enough for the leftovers. The injera was soft and spongey with a subtle tang. S E R V I C E All business. Order inside, they'll bring your food out, and go inside to pay. No check-ins. Arrived around 11 am and food took over 40 minutes (one of three tables). Def more of a place for a leisurely meal. A M B I A N C E Hole-in-the wall in a dated plaza next door to Grocery Outlet. P A R K I N G Plenty of easy free parking in the plaza. Overall, Selam serves great value Ethiopian fare with huge portions. The spices/flavors were too toned down for me though but you can't beat the prices. Maybe you have to specify, "I want it LIT on both ends, please!" read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - 1/2 & 1/2 Meat - Kitfo: Tartare+Dulet: Tripe, liver, raw beef ($13.99), Doro Wot: Chicken Stew ($15.99 + $1 egg), Vegetarian Combo ($13.99) - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

I just ate at this place and the food is ok. I ordered doro wat and the waiter served me raw meat that I ate. It really ruined my appetite and the guy replaced the dish with chicken tibs. That is not the same. Also the bathroom their toilet was leaking all over the floor and the sewer water was on my shoes. I love Ethiopian food and not coming back. Go to Zeni, kerlenga, or gojo... This place is not good sorry. read more

Friendly staff, delicious food, and quick service. Lots of parking and they have indoor & outdoor seating. They also do takeout over the phone and delivery on UberEats. I got the Vegetarian/Vegan Combo. For $14, the portions are incredible. My boyfriend and I easily shared a combo. The shiro and the red lentils are a bit spicy. Everything in the combo was flavorful and delicious! Seasoned very well. Their injera is very fluffy and thin too. We also got our dish in just 5 minutes! I will definitely be back in the future to try their meat dishes. Support this local small business! read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Vegetarian and Vegan Combo ($13.99) - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Food is unmatched 10/10 always, and the staff if very nice and welcoming. Will always be my place to go for Ethiopian food!

A legit "hidden" gem. Amazing value: $17 for an enormous and delicious plate of food ("vegetarian/vegan combo"). Drinks are very well priced too ($2.50 for tea etc). So refreshing in this age of post pandemic inflation to be able to eat out without feeling like it's a massive treat just to go to a regular restaurant. Folks working there are chill and friendly. Whole bunch of other, I presume, Ethiopians coming and going which is always a good sign of authenticity. Definitely coming back! read more

I love Ethiopian food and usually go to another establishment nearby. However, wanted to get out of my comfort zone and try a new place and introduce my friend who has never tried it before. Don't be fooled by this hole in the wall because the food is super delicious. Though dining area is small, their food and service is good. Not featured we had to start was the timitam fitfit which became one of my favorites. The acidic flavors form the tomatoes and lime really complimented together with the pieces of injerna. It reminded me a little bit of tomato bruschetta with hint of citrus, super flavorful and refreshing. Next main course, my friend got the vegetarian combo which included red lentils, yellow split chickpeas and stewed cabbage with potato and carrots, collard greens, house salad. I had the meat veggie combo which essentially had almost everything in veggie platter but opted with the Kitfo (lean beef meat) rare that comes with ayib a very light Ethiopian cheese that reminds me of consistency of goat cheese and taste wise is not overpowering almost subtle like butter and enhances the flavor of the Kitfo with spices. I finished off the meal with Ethiopian spiced black tea which helps round out everything and digestion. I will definitely come back here esp for the timitam since I don't see that at other places I've been too. read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Spiced Ethiopian black tea - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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The restaurant sits at the corner of a plaza, with lots of parking outside. When my friend and I came for dinner around 7pm, there wasn't any inside seating available since it's a relatively small establishment, so we grabbed seats at one of the tables outside. The service is nice and the cashier/waiter asked us if we wanted to move indoors once some seats freed up. We ordered the vegetable platter and mushroom tibs. In terms of taste, the veggies were a bit underseasoned, but the tibs had a lot of flavor. The red lentils were a bit spicy but paired well with the refreshing salad. The dish came with a basket of injera that was just lightly sour (it perhaps could have been a bit more sour). Overall, the food was pretty good, but we were most impressed by the portion sizes which were generous for the price, and we ended up with a decent amount left over that we packed to go. read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Vegetarian and Vegan Combo Platter with Mushroom Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

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Great Ethiopian food, no frills, inside & outside seating (adjacent to the parking lot, nothing fancy). Lots of locals, quick & friendly service. I get the vegetarian sample dish (or w/e its called) and their spiced tea. Always great! Bonus - you can shop at Grocery Outlet right next door afterwards... read more

Vegetarian combo $17 Ridiculously large portions. Enough to feed 2. Some of the food was a bit under salted by restaurant standards. Everything was really good, like a nice home cooked meal. read more

Quaint lil cafe with authentic and delicious Ethiopian & Eritrean food. Everything was fresh and some of the best cuts of beef I've had anywhere in Cali in a long time. Sadly, many places use very cheap and poor cuts of meat. Not here ! The waiter was young and perhaps born in America. When I asked for awaze sauce he brought me the dry berbere (lol) but that's okay. He fixed it right up. Everyone was gracious and nice. Wonderful atmosphere in addition to great food. Taste like food prepared in Ethiopia. Excellent homeland cooking and spices. I shall return. read more

I came here for dinner and got the vegetarian and vegan combo. For the price, you get an amazing portion. For ~$15 I shared the combo with my girlfriend and we were both satisfied. The savory flavor of the portion with onions and beans was on the level of a meat dish. This location is very small, so the service was very personalized. Looking over was enough to get the attention of the staff. One staff member saw me looking at the menu above the counter and immediately brought me a menu. read more

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This is your classic hole in the wall Ethiopian restaurant. The selam combo is your best bet, the combos are great. The dulet and kitfo were ok. The kitfo defitneily did not have the most flavor and it was not rare when I got it, was super well done/overcooked. The dulet didn't have much flavor either, it just didn't mesh well with anything. I will defintiely be avoiding those two dishes but might give the place another try. They are friendly! read more

Selam Restaurant and Cafe - Ethiopian Near Me - San Jose, California

My favorite Ethipian restaurant of Bay Area. Delicious and large size portions. .

Delicious traditional food served in a casual restaurant. I don't know what more to say.

This place is rather small and plain inside but the service is very good, and they make sure and ask you how spicy you want an item. There are many items that sound good, so it may be a good idea to get half and half so you can try more than one. The kifto is a flavorful ground beef dish, and it comes with Ethiopian cheese. The minchet wot is a stew that has some nice unique spices and is very tasty. It comes with a hard boiled egg on top, Both go well together and the portion is quite hearty, especially since you eat it with the injera, the Ethiopian spongy bread and it comes on an injera as well. The menu is divided into meat lovers and vegetarian. It would probably be a good idea to pair a meat and vegetarian dish if you get half and half. There was plenty of injera to use --the injera under the stews can get pretty soggy! The salad comes with Italian style oil and vinegar dressing. read more

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