Changi Staff Canteen Terminal 1

Kantin Karyawan / Staf Changi Airport (open for public)

Changi adalah salah satu airport terbaik di Asia Tenggara, bahkan di seluruh dunia. Menurut Skytrax, Changi adalah airport no1 di dunia, disusul Incheon di Seoul dan Munich Airport.
Kali ini saya akan mengulas tentang tempat makan murah meriah di dalam Airport ini.
Kalau butuh tempat menginap murah, bisa cek post saya tentang hostel di Singapura : Hostel Terbaik Singapura

Changi is one of the best airport in South East Asia, and even the world. According to Skytrax, this airport landed on the top place of best airport, followed by Incheon in Seoul and Munich Airport.
This post is about where to eat on the cheap, but still getting a great price for the food.

Hello Kitty Cafe - Changi Terminal 3

Statusnya sebagai airport no1 tentunya berbanding lurus dengan kualitas pelayanan dan gerai-gerai yang ada di airport. Masalahnya dengan kualitas yang tinggi, acapkali harga juga mengikuti, di Juanda saja yang biasa-biasa kualitas makanannya, harganya juga premium. 

Tapi tidak usah khawatir kalau di Changi, asalkan mau sedikit baca-baca, kita bisa menemukan tempat makan yang sesuai selera dan budget. Dari yang mahal seperti Hello Kitty Cafe di Terminal III Changi ini, food court, fast food, dan yang murah meriah, kantin karyawan (staff canteen).

Being a world renown Airport, means that quality and service are top notch, and so is their eateries. Problem is, with good quality usually comes high price. This is true in most airport, even in Surabaya's Juanda. Nevertheless you need not worry in Changi, since there's plethora of choices here, from the posh like Hello Kitty Cafe, the simple fast food and food court eateries and the most affordable, Staff Canteen.

Enni at the Hello Kitty Cafe - Changi T 3

Untuk sekedar mengobati penasaran dan apel untuk selfie sesekali boleh lah mencoba kafe satu itu, tapi untuk langganan airport ini yang ingin makan hemat, tanpa korban perasaan karena rasa makanan kacau, tempat panas, atau murus-murus karena kualitas makanan meragukan, silakan ke Changi Staff Canteen.

For curiosity sake and the mandatory selfie, a visit to that pretty and whimsical cafe on occasion is probably a good choice. While if you're a frequent flyer with a tight budget not willing to risk the regular hawker food choice outside, be sure to check Changi Staff Canteen.

Noodles in Staff Canteen (Eos M) - The Only One, in Changi T1

Update 2017:
Selain Staff Canteen di T1, sekarang ada pula yang buka di T2, lokasinya keluar ke arah parkir mobil. Untuk mudahnya bisa ditanyakan ke informasi di bagian kedatangan T2.

Beside T1, now T2 Staff Canteen is operational, it's located on the 3rd story of the parking lot.
I haven't got the chance to post a thorough post about T2 Staff Canteen, so for the easiest route, please ask the information desk on Terminal 2 

Changi Skytrain T1 to T2

Cara ke sini cukup mudah, cukup ke Terminal 1 Changi. Kalau barang bawaan tidak banyak, bisa langsung menggunakan pintu yang terletak persis di depan Skytrain (kereta antar terminal) antara T2 dan T1. 

Kalau barang bawaan banyak, lebih baik naik lift dulu ke Arrival Level, lantai dasar.

It's pretty easy to get here, you just have to go to Terminal 1 in Changi.
If you're not carrying much baggage, just go straight down a stair in front of Skytrain from T2 to T1.

Whilst if stair is inconvenient, you could head to the elevator first to reach ground level.

By Stair From Skytrain

Cara menemukan Kantin Karyawan / Staff Canteen di Changi

Setelah menuruni tangga di atas, pembaca bakal ketemu dengan Taxi Stand ini. Dari sana cukup belok ke kiri, arah ke Burger King.

Once you've go down the staircase, this taxi stand 1B will greet you on the ground floor. From here, you go left until you find a Burger King.

Cara menemukan Kantin Karyawan / Staff Canteen di Changi

Cara menemukan Kantin Karyawan / Staff Canteen di Changi

Dari Burger King, lanjut saja cari arah ke luar, melalui lorong yang ada di sebelah Burger King ini.

From the Burger King, just go straight ahead to the door leading to the outside area.

Cara menemukan Kantin Karyawan / Staff Canteen di Changi

Setelah ketemu dengan pintu ini, bisa lanjut ke luar, tujuan berikutnya ada di sebelah kiri jalan.

This is the door that leads to the outside area, where you can find the staff canteen entrance.

Cara menemukan Kantin Karyawan / Staff Canteen di Changi

Dari sini terus saja ke kiri, tidak usah bingung karena memang jalannya kecil. Ikuti saja jalan setapak di sebelah zen garden.

From this point, just go left. Don't be deterred by the narrow looking walkways, it is suppose to be like that. Follow the road with small lanes, just beside the Japanese rock garden.

Cara menemukan Kantin Karyawan / Staff Canteen di Changi

Staff Canteen ada di tangga, yang ada di belakang dua bapak berdasi di sebelah kanan.

The staff canteen is located here, down the stairs behind the gentleman wearing ties.

Cara menemukan Kantin Karyawan / Staff Canteen di Changi

Trolley bisa ditinggalkan di sini

Yang membawa trolley bisa meninggalkannya di atas. Walau Singapura salah satu negara teraman di dunia, saya tidak nyaman meninggalkan bagasi di atas, jadi perlu sedikit bersusah payah mengangkat koper menuruni tangga. 

Saat ke sini pertama kali masih belum tahu kalau tempat ini bisa diakses dengan mudah menggunakan elevator (bisa baca di bagian bawah)

You can leave your trolley before descending the stairs. Despite Singapore being one of the safest country in earth, I don't feel comfortable leaving my luggage here, so we ended up carrying them trough the stairs.
This is when I didn't know there's a simpler way to get here, using elevator (read bellow)

Changi Kantin Karyawan 

Changi Kantin Karyawan / Staff Canteen

Changi Kantin Karyawan / Staff Canteen

Changi Kantin Karyawan / Staff Canteen

Using Elevator from Departure Level (Ground)

Changi - How to get to staff canteen

Untuk yang memilih menggunakan elevator, silakan mencari papan nama ini, lokasinya ada di belakang counter 12, atau ada di ujung Changi T1.

Kalau datang ke T1 ini menggunakan Skytrain, lokasi lift / elevator ini ada di ujung satunya.

If you want to use elevator, you can search for this signage, it's located just behind the 12'th counter in Terminal 1. Near the end of the area, if you're arriving from Skytrain, it's on the other end.

Changi - How to get to staff canteen

Dari sana tinggal mencari lokasi lift ke Staff Canteen yang ada di belakang minimarket Relay seperti di foto bawah.

From this point, you just need to search the elevator behind this Relay minimarket.

Changi - Relay Supermarket near Staff Canteen elevator

Cara menemukan kantin staff Changi Airport

Changi - How to get to staff canteen

The Food in Changi Staff Canteen

Fragrance Garden Chicken Rice

Fragrance Garden Chicken Rice - Changi 

Di sini ada dua harga, untuk umum dan untuk pekerja di Changi. Jangan ngotot minta harga staff ya, kalaupun bisa niru2 logat singlish yang aduhai itu, tetap butuh menunjukkan kartu pekerja sebelum bisa mendapatkan potongan harga karyawan.
Harganya hanya terpaut 1-2$ saja antara umum dan staf.

There's two set of price here, one for public while the cheaper one for staffs.
The price differences are about 1-2$, making this canteen comparable to hakwer center price, for the staffs.

Juicy Plump Chicken - Fragrance Garden Chicken Rice - Changi 

Untuk yang pertama kali ke sini, saya merekomendasikan mencoba hidangan nasional Singapura, Chicken Rice alias Nasi Ayam Hainan kalau di Surabaya.

If this is your first time in Singapore, you should try this dish first, Singapore's Chicken Rice. It's their national dish, which for me represent Singapore cuisine nicely.

Condiments - Fragrance Garden Chicken Rice - Changi 

Ada bumbu pendampingnya yang otentik, jahe dirajang halus dengan minyak wijen, acar lombok, sambal cair untuk ayam hainan, dan kecap pekat.

There's all the condiments you need to get the best taste out of this Chicken Rice dish. There's the chili pickles, chili sauce, grated ginger on oil, and the thick soysauce.

Roasted Chicken Rice add Char Siew (S$ 6)

Menu satu ini bakal bikin kenyang, dengan harga hanya S$6 atau sekitar Rp 55.000, sudah bisa mendapatkan makanan dengan porsi yang berlimpah dengan rasa yang ok.

Just look at this brimming plate of Chicken Rice, just for a S$ 6 this dish would make any belly full. Nothing to dislike about this dish, it tastes bold, savory, sweet and scrumptious.

Roasted Chicken Rice add Char Siew (S$ 6)

Hidangan satu ini rasanya jauh lebih enak dibandingkan menu serupa di Changi Singapore Food Street T3 kalau untuk selera saya. Entah karena yang di Food Court T3 mungkin terlalu minim bumbu (untuk menyesuaikan selera internasional) atau memang kokinya kalah handal. Kalau buat saya dua menu serupa ini no-contest, menang versi murah meriahnya jauh.

There's a similar dish I've tried in a food court in T3,  Changi Singapore Food Street. For my taste-buds, it's a no contest, the cheaper Staff Canteen version win hands down.

The food court version is like the 'tame' version of this dish, it lacks any character, taste just bordering bland and boring. This could be deliberately done, to cater to the international clienteles that visits Changi from all over the world.

Singapore Food Street - Chicken Rice (S$9)

Wu Ze Tian Ban Mian 

Wu Ze Tian Ban Mian - Changi Staff Canteen

Kedai satu ini spesialis masakan Cina dan berbahan mie, nasi juga ada, tapi mayoritas menunya ada pilihan Mihun, Ban Mian atau U Mian.

This stall is another one that we've tried, it mainly sells noodles dishes, though there are some rice dishes. There's a choice between using Mee Hon, Ban Mian or U Mian, which is a selection of noodles, some uses flour and egg like spaghetti, while other are made from rice flours.

Wu Ze Tian Ban Mian - Mee Hon Kuey (S$ 4.5)

Changi - Mee Hon Kuey - S$ 4.5

Wu Ze Tian Ban Mian - Condiments

Yi Lu Fa Noodle House - Changi Staff Canteen

Yi Lu Fa Noodle House - Changi Airport

Yi Lu Fa Noodle House - Changi Airport

Yi Lu Fa Noodle House - Laksa (S$ 3.5 / 4)

Yi Lu Fa Noodle House - Laksa Extra Noodles (S$ 4)

Yi Lu Fa Noodle House - Laksa Extra Noodles (S$ 4)

Other Stalls

Kawan Yong Tau Fu - Changi Staff Canteen T1

Leam Kitchen - King of The Soup (Changi Airport Staff Canteen)

Old Cheng Du Si Chuan Cuisine - Changi Staff Canteen T1

Just Green Vegetarian - Changi Staff Canteen T1

Bidadari Malay Cuisine - Changi Staff Canteen T1

Beverages 

Changi Staff Canteen - Beverage Menu

Changi Staff Canteen - Beverage Menu

Saya akan memperbaharui blog post ini setiap kali berkunjung ke staff canteen dan mencoba makanan baru. Kalau ada pengalaman makan di sini juga silakan di share, mungkin ada rekomendasi menu menarik. Kita juga menerima kontribusi foto dan ulasan, bisa diemailkan ke saya, nanti akan saya tampilkan di blog post ini beserta identitas penulis / fotografernya beserta link ke blog, facebook atau instagramnya.

 I'll be updating this post regularly, so be sure to check in from time to time.

If you have a recommendation of what your personal dish / beverage here, do post some insight in the comments. 

We're also accepting guest writing / photograph for this post, just email them to my address in thefoodgrapher@gmail.com if you'd like to be featured, along with the credits, and link to your sites / facebook / instagram if you have one.

Jangan lupa setelah makan bisa menaruh piring dan nampan makannya di sini, buat kita tidak repot, tapi akan banyak membantu kerja oma dan opa yang biasanya bekerja di sini untuk menjaga kebersihan.

Don't forget to return the trays and utensils here, you'd made the aunties and uncles that works here happy.

Changi Staff Canteen

Terminal 1

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