Been seeing Makkee come up for a while, mixed reviews online, so finally stopped in after dinner one night, kid in tow, and ordered enough to cover most of the menu.
Queue out front was long, long enough that we asked if takeaway was an option, and that got us pulled in ahead of the dine-in line. Ordering to wait time was still 20 to 30 minutes though, and there’s no seating area for takeaway, everyone just stands around near the counter. One thing that knocked it down a bit for me, takeaway isn’t portioned separately, toppings and milk and ice all go in together, so if you’re not eating it immediately it turns into a bit of a mess.
What to order
Cassava Deluxe
Piled embarrassingly high with toppings, a cup that basically guarantees you’re full. Cassava itself is quite sweet, the rest of the toppings fairly mild and easy to eat, nothing that stood out either way. My flatmate said she reckons she could replicate this one at home, which isn’t really a compliment.
Durian Snow Black Sticky Rice
I’m a durian loyalist, will admit I’m biased toward anything with it in. This one’s durian and black sticky rice balls with a scoop of ice cream, sitting on a thick bed of crushed ice, presumably to slow the melt. By the time you’re halfway through it’s basically a block of ice with durian flavour running through it. The durian itself is genuinely good, the ice situation less so.
Osmanthus taro mochi and milk tea
The Osmanthus Taro Mochi had a light, not-artificial osmanthus flavour, taro paste smooth, mochi properly stretchy when you pull it apart. The Taro Mochi Fresh Milk Tea does the same combination in drink form, a bit chewier overall since the rice mochi holds up in the liquid. The taro balls on their own were good enough we ordered a second round, chewy skin, taro paste packed solid inside.
The kid’s ice cream and the coconut cassava
My kid insisted on the ice cream, which turned out better than expected, tasted like the old-school ice bricks from when I was a kid, properly milky in a retro way rather than overly sweet. Also tried their coconut cassava, Ah Da Zi, for the first time, texture bouncy and chewy in a good way, though I still think the cassava itself is better at Lu Ji, a rival spot nearby.
What I’d order again
Taro black sticky rice mochi with fresh milk is the one I’d go back for, has everything I actually like in one bowl, and it’s one of the few things on the menu you can get served hot, handy if you’re not in the mood for something icy.
Worth it
Taste holds up, portions are generous, price is a touch higher than I’d expect for the category. Good option if you’re already out and about and want an afternoon tea or post-dinner sweet, not necessarily worth a trip on its own. Makkee Dessert is at Shop 1, 22-26 Goulburn Street, Sydney, a short walk from Chinatown and World Square.
Worth comparing against Homm Dessert, a few minutes away in the same neighbourhood, or Sugar Trend Dessert if you’re on the North Shore instead.