Host Favorites at Chin Chin Eating House with former CityU colleagues

We enjoyed an exceptional lunch at Chin Chin Eating House, recommended by our hosts: Dr. NGO Chong Wah, Dr. YANG Guomin, and Dr. HE Shengfeng. Currently professors at the Singapore School of Computing and Information Systems, Management University, they guided us to this local gem situated a brief 15-minute walk from the SMU campus.

During lunchtime, the bustling restaurant serves renowned Singaporean cuisine, particularly Hainanese chicken rice, and accommodates guests at traditional Asian rotating round tables. Despite the crowd, every table buzzes with anticipation for their serving of chicken.

Highlight: Hainanese Chicken Rice

The star of the meal is the Hainanese chicken, made tender through a slow poaching technique. The chicken, shared among us, was glazed with a unique Hainanese-style sauce, a harmonious blend of ginger, garlic, and pandan leaves.

Side dishes and Appetizers

Beyond Hainanese Chicken Rice, Chin Chin Eating House offers a wide array of Singaporean and Southeast Asian-influenced favorites. We enjoyed Sambal Kangkong, Cereal Prawns, Foo Young Omelet, and Hainanese Prawn Rolls. The sambal kangkong, a spicy water spinach dish prepared with Belachan (fermented shrimp paste), provided a taste of authentic Singapore-Malay cuisine.

Meeting with former CityU colleagues at SMU

Following our flavorful lunch, we took a leisurely walk to the Singapore Management University’s School of Computing and Information Systems. There, we looked forward to engaging in insightful discussions with our esteemed hosts. Our hosts, Dr. NGO Chong Wah, Dr. YANG Guomin, and Dr. HE Shengfeng, all have backgrounds linked to CityU.

Dr. NGO Chong Wah

Dr. Wah, a former instructor and researcher at City University Of Hong Kong, was instrumental in facilitating our visit to SMU through his connection with our lead professor, Dr. Howard.

Notably, Dr. Wah was the lead professor of a 2009 CityU student trip to Singapore and Malaysia, and he presented us with a booklet from that journey. This document serves as a key inspiration for our current trip.

Dr. YANG Guomin

Dr. Guomin embarked on his academic journey at the City University of Hong Kong for his Bachelor’s studies, later earning his Ph.D. from the same institution. Upon completing his doctorate, he served as a researcher at the prestigious National University of Singapore (NUS). His pursuit of academia then led him to Australia, where he held a Lecturer position at the University of Wollongong. Eventually, his journey brought him back to Singapore, where he currently teaches at SMU.

During our meeting, Dr. Guomin shared personal anecdotes and images from his storied journey. A standout memory featured a group photo with the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Tung Chee-hwa, during a hike in the New Territories. Dr. Guomin left us, CityU tech students, with the inspiring motto: “Work Hard, Have Fun, and Be Nice.”

Dr. HE Shengfeng

A Ph.D. graduate from CityU in 2015, Dr. Shengfeng, a former Teaching Assistant, is now an Associate Professor at SMU and leads the Visual Understanding and Generation (VUG) Laboratory. He provided insightful information about his ongoing research and time at CityU.