So it’s been a while since I last tried proper food at the airport, and since I was travelling, I figured… why not treat it like part of the experience? Honestly, airport food is always the “danger zone” for my wallet because it’s almost guaranteed to be pricier than the usual hawker centre meals. But at the same time, when you’re stuck choosing between fast food and something that feels like a real dinner, sometimes paying a bit more feels worth it.
That’s probably why one of the dining areas in Changi Terminal 1 is branded like a hawker-style concept. It’s like the airport’s way of saying, “Yes, it’s expensive… but at least you can get something comforting and local-ish.” And I’m not gonna lie, it worked on me. I was curious. I wanted to see if it could give me that hawker satisfaction without the usual hawker chaos, more aircon, nicer seats, cleaner tables, and that calm pre-flight vibe.
After walking around and scanning the options, I landed on House of Mi. The stall front looked bright and inviting, and the menu had enough variety to make me pause for longer than expected. Noodles, rice sets, soups… it was the kind of menu that makes you feel like you can’t go too wrong. In the end, I went for something that sounded the most comforting and “safe”: the Beef Brisket Rice Set.
This set comes with the braised beef brisket dish, a bowl of rice, and soup on the side. Simple and classic. The kind of meal that doesn’t need to be flashy, as long as the flavours and textures are on point. And the moment it arrived, I already felt like it was a solid choice, dark, glossy braising sauce, chunks of beef, a braised egg, and pieces of radish soaking up all that goodness. You know that look when you can tell the sauce has been doing its job for hours? Yup, that kind of look.
Let’s start with the soup first because I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. It’s technically a complimentary item, but it didn’t taste like an “afterthought” soup at all. It was light, clean, and comforting—warm enough to reset your taste buds between bites, and surprisingly satisfying on its own. I love when a simple soup doesn’t try too hard, yet still feels like it belongs with the meal.
Now the main star: the beef brisket. The meat was nicely braised, soft, flavourful, and not dry. It had that tender bite where it doesn’t fall apart instantly, but it also doesn’t fight back. The best part for me was that they added tendon too. That texture is just so enjoyable, slightly bouncy, slightly gelatinous, and it soaks up sauce like a sponge. If you’re a tendon fan, you’ll understand why this makes the set feel more “complete.” It’s not just meat; it’s variety in texture, and it makes every spoonful more interesting.
The braising sauce itself leaned towards rich and savoury, and it paired really well with the rice. This is the kind of dish where the rice becomes the silent hero, because you’re basically using it to catch every drop of sauce and balance out the strong flavours. The radish pieces also helped lighten the dish a little, giving it that soft, mild sweetness that works really well with beef.
Now the painful part: the price. SGD 12.30 is definitely expensive for what would normally feel like a hawker-style meal. If I’m being honest, this is the kind of price that makes you pause and think, “Okay… but would I pay this outside the airport?” Probably not. But in the airport context, where everything comes with an invisible “location tax,” I guess it’s not shocking, still painful, but not shocking.
Even with that, I genuinely enjoyed this dinner because it felt like a nice little pre-flight experience. The ambience helped a lot too. The lighting was warm, the seating area looked modern and comfortable, and the whole space felt calm and tidy. It’s the kind of place where you can actually sit down properly, eat slowly, and not feel rushed, even though you’re technically in an airport.
Overall, I think House of Mi delivered a good, comforting bowl of braised beef brisket with a surprisingly enjoyable soup on the side. It’s pricey, yes, but if you want something better than fast food and you’re craving a warm, hearty meal before a flight, this is a pretty solid option. And honestly, sometimes the experience itself makes it worth trying at least once.
