If breathing out nitrogen was never a thing, it is now. Located in Koreatown and Buena Park, Chocolate Chair cafe offers a liquid nitrogen infused dessert called the “Dragon’s Breath” that lets you exhale fog through your nostrils and mouth. Curious about the trendy dessert, I decided to stop by the Los Angeles branch of Chocolate Chair to check out what the new craze was all about.

Stepping into the cafe, I found myself in a crowded room full of teens breathing out nitrogen through their mouth and nose. The shop, which shares its cafe space with a Korean cosmetic store, has a youthful and trendy vibe as they blast a playlist of upbeat, energizing music.

Chocolate Chair offers a large variety of ice cream, shaved ice, macaroons, and beverages. There were more than 10 different kinds of Korean shaved ice on the menu, which particularly caught my eye. Despite my temptations for the shaved ice, I ordered a Dragon Breath for $4.99 with a “Dragon Dipping” mint sauce for an extra 50 cents. There are seven different types of sauces the store offers, ranging from strawberry to chocolate.   

When my order arrived, within a minute, it was simply a cup filled with cold, colorful cereal puffs surrounded with liquid nitrogen gas. The cafe was so crowded that I had to stand in the corner until a table was available. As soon as I sat down, I took a small wooden skewer and poked a nitrogen ball.

Nitrogen gas was escaping the ball as I put it in my mouth. The dessert, supposedly referred to as ice cream by the franchise, tasted like cold Fruit Loops cereal. It wasn’t as sweet and tasty as I expected it to be. Seconds later, as I breathed out, fog came out of my mouth and nostrils. At first, it was really amusing breathing out nitrogen; I took a few pictures and videos to capture the moment. However, half way through the dessert, my tongue started to sting and my teeth ached from the coldness. I started to dip the dragon balls in the mint sauce toward the end, which made the puffs a bit sweeter and cooler. It reduced the reaction of the nitrogen in my mouth and less smoke was emitted.

Overall, my experience with “Dragon Breath” was not what I expected.  It’s enjoyable to take pictures and laugh at friends, but that’s about it. If I was looking for a dessert, I would have been more satisfied ordering ice cream. However, I think the dragon breath is worth a try just for the experience of becoming a “dragon.”