I made the mistake of Googling “Dragon’s Breath” just before a planned visit to try out the liquid nitrogen-infused treat. I wanted to find a video clip to show the kids what it looked like. Instead, up popped the
FDA warning about severe damage to skin and internal organs, difficulty breathing and life-threatening injuries.
Yikes.
Let’s be clear, ParentMap does not endorse eating Dragon’s Breath in any way. It’s completely your call if you let your kids try it. I tend to err on the side of treats, so I headed to
Cloud Nine Creamery at Westfield Southcenter with three expert tasters.
Dragon’s Breath is basically some crackers swirled around in liquid nitrogen so it gets really, really cold. When you eat it, the warmth of your mouth makes condensation billow out of your mouth and nose.
“We have wanted to serve it since we opened, but we first had to do extensive research and development to make sure we served it as safely as possible,” wrote Cloud Nine co-owner Andrew Hagee in an e-mail. He added that the product they use is made specifically for Cloud Nine, and it’s lighter and less dense so it doesn’t hold the liquid nitrogen inside.
Store manager Drake Dixon ran through the ground rules for us: Use the spoon, not your fingers. Hot-potato it into your mouth. And breathe out.
That wasn’t 100 percent reassuring, but all around us, people were ordering Dragon’s Breath with camera phones ready to document the results. So we dug in.
From the judges:
Philippa, age 7: “It was sorta weird.”
The kids ate it, but they were confused. This was supposed to be a treat, right?
Joseph, age 7½: “It didn’t even taste like ice cream.”
Dragon’s Breath is all about the smoke effect, and my sweet tooth panelist wasn’t impressed. It tasted like really, really cold cereal.
Paul, age 3: “It was yummy, because it had a lot of colors.”
The cereal balls come in pink, green and yellow, and my 3-year-old loves anything in pretty candy colors. The funny thing is, later that same day, we happened to be shopping at the Asian grocery store and wandered past a display of Korean crackers that looked EXACTLY like the Dragon’s Breath balls. It was $6.99 for a bag almost as big as a toddler, so we bought it. He decided he liked the regular, room-temperature version better.
To be fair, Cloud Nine Creamery
ice cream is decadent and delicious. They make everything to order, and it’s fun to watch the process where liquid nitrogen smoke billows out of the KitchenAid mixing bowl (not your mouth).
Dragon’s Breath is better suited for older kids who would get a kick out the smoke effect. For now, my kids would rather have something yummy than something that looks cool.
If you go: Cloud Nine Creamery, Westfield Southcenter, 191 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila, WA 98188
(206) 466-4989, Cost: $6.50 per serving of Dragon’s Breath.
More unusual desserts to try:
At the
Hi-Life in Ballard, kids can design their own cookie ($2.50) and the kitchen will bake it up for dessert. Start with a disc of egg-free cookie dough, add sprinkles and chocolate chips, and
voilà! A culinary masterpiece that requires zero skill (and no mess in your kitchen). Btw, this restaurant is located in a renovated 1911 firehouse – you still see the original firefighter’s post. How cool is that?
Kids love
Blank Space Café! A classic bubble waffle ($7.75) gets you a fresh-off-the-griddle bubble waffle hugging a scoop of ice cream. We found the service indifferent, but that combination of warm and melty just right. Look for Asian-inspired flavors like matcha and green tea, and Pocky garnishes. Locations in Bellevue, Belltown and Greenlake. Note: the Greenlake store is just two blocks from the paddle boat rental house and the fabulous playground outside the community center.
It smells like old gym socks and is banned on all public transportation in Singapore. Perfect for dessert, right? Durian is a large, spiny fruit native to Malaysia known for its putrid stench. One of the few places you can taste it in pastry form is at
Reunion Malaysian Café in Kirkland, where the durian cake ($11/slice) is made of 20 precisely layered crepes.
This West Seattle gem of a sushi bar is famous for its sustainable seafood, but stick around for the dessert menu. The deep-fried brownie with green tea ice cream ($11) will make you throw your New Year’s resolutions out the window. We highly recommend making a reservation at
Mashiko Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar, and snagging a seat at the bar so you can watch the chefs at work. And Portland cult favorite
Salt & Straw is known for making really wacky ice cream flavors. For Halloween, they did mealworm and pig blood flavors, and for Thanksgiving, a savory turkey ice cream. Imagine what they’ll come up with for President’s Day… . Scoop shops in Capitol Hill and Ballard ($4.95/scoop).
The historic Victorian-style building, built in 1912, is located on the north end of Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill. The greenhouse is maintained at a balmy 65 to 80 degrees, and showcases lush plant life from around the world. There’s no nicer quick escape on a cold and dreary day.
Each of the five rooms features a different environment: bromeliads, ferns, palms, cacti and a seasonal display house. We oohed and ahhed over the exquisite orchids and the humongous air plants. The kids will get a kick out of the carnivorous plants – Venus fly traps, sundews and pitcher plants – in the fern room. It’s also fun to point out the giant jade tree that started growing from a cutting in 1916. I feel like I’m stating the obvious, but really, everybody please don’t touch the plants.
The visitor count has bumped up since the free admission period began Dec. 24, but it wasn’t crowded at all on the weekday morning we visited. The walkways are narrow and groups are encouraged to spread out as to not block the path. Leave the stroller in your trunk if you can. Formal photography shoots aren’t allowed during regular public hours, but casual photography and artwork are okay. Everyone was taking pictures. The flowers are so pretty it’s impossible not to!
The Conservatory was free to the public until 2013. Even now, regular admission isn’t much – just $4 for adults, and free for kids 12 and under. If you like what you see, mark your calendar for the Conservatory’s regular free days: the first Thursday and the first Saturday of every month. We have a feeling you’ll be back.
Parents should know:
Basic park restrooms are located next door to the Conservatory. I wouldn’t send the kids in there by themselves, though, because of the homeless men camped next to the women’s restroom. Give me all the liberal grief you want, but my priority is the kids’ safety.
The Asian Art Museum, also in Volunteer Park, is closed for renovation.
No food or drink is allowed inside the Conservatory. There isn’t any food for purchase inside the park, but just two blocks away is the charming 
Kids will also love:
Volunteer Park’s recently-renovated playground, with two big play structures, a zip line and a cool sculpture to climb. The wading pool is closed for the season, but it’s worth coming back for in the summer. You can see Lakeview Cemetery through the chain link fence north of the playground. If you’re up for a bit of a hike, the entrance is on 15th Ave E and up the hill, you’ll find the graves of Bruce Lee and his son, Brandon.
The water tower observation deck is open daily at 10 a.m. If a 3-year-old can power up those 107 steps, this out-of-shape mama had no excuse. At the top are displays about the Olmsted parks in Seattle, and terrific free views of the city.
If you go
My story in on ParentMap 
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Wait, we did stuff in Portland too, not just hung out in the hotel. We planned just one major outing each day, because, traveling with kids. DAY 1: We played "I Spy" through the galleries at the Portland Art Museum. The contemporary wing was my favorite. Joseph saw someone he knew, and we found a Calder mobile for Paul.
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DAY 2: OMSI. Not going to lie, it makes my tiger mom heart skip a beat to see my boys in the chemistry lab wearing safety goggles. We loved making flubber!
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PDX requisites: 
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DAY 3: Oregon Zoo. Go Cougs.
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I spy... a kid eating glue!
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