If Foz do Iguaçu is not on your list of wish destinations, advice: add it now!
The natural beauty is undeniable. O Iguacu National Park was declared a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, and, in 2012, the waterfalls of Iguaçu were elected one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. And when does a destination as special as this have a starred chef commanding the kitchen of one of the best hotels in Brazil? It's the perfect marriage.
Now, Luiz Fellipe Souza the name behind Evvai, a Michelin-starred restaurant that occupies 22nd place on the list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America, in São Paulo, takes over the cuisine of the brand new Y (read “i”) within the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas ; The only hotel development located in the Iguaçu National Park and chosen numerous times by Forbes Travel Guide as the best hotel in South America. In 2023, it was honored with the title of best hotel in Brazil and 8th in the world on the global La Liste list.

This is the first time that Luiz has opened a store outside of São Paulo, but the news doesn't stop there. It is also the first time that diners get to know the “very Brazilian” side of the chef. The Italian menu leaves the scene and dishes that show their Brazilian roots, their essence, include heart of palm pastel, sugarcane juice and açaí miso.

A perfect harmony with the setting, in front of the Falls, within an environmental reserve, with the green of the trees and the noise of the birds that complete the house's lively Brazilian-only playlist. A restaurant that portrays Brazil in its essence, in its flavors, sounds, smells and colors.
Labels are no longer applicable. My cooking school, where I learned the technique, was in fact the Italian one. I learned to cook in Italy! But I'm Brazilian, I have a different cultural line of flavors and even affection for Brazilian cuisine. Developing the Y's concept and menu was like finding myself again, going back to my origins a little.
Luiz Fellipe Souza, chef at Y
Situated on the ground floor of the imposing pink hotel, Y means water in the language of the Guarani people . And just as the waters of the Falls never stop and you will never see the same scenery, the Y's proposal is to take this incessant journey through Brazilian flavors, from north to south, where with each visit the taste of a meat, a fruit, a seasoning from some region will shine differently.
Reinterpretations of iconic dishes surprise on the menu, which can be a 10-course tasting menu (R$495) or a “pre fix” (R$320), where the customer chooses a starter, a main course and a dessert. Luiz brings the bases and food culture of different parts of Brazil in a contemporary guise. Feijoada arrives in textures, with cabbage and orange foam, where with each bite it is possible to discover a new ingredient of this dish that is so powerful in our gastronomy.

The tomato salad arrives with the fruit filled with its own water in the form of gelatin, accompanied by leaves from the Atlantic Forest, aromatic herbs and cherry blossoms harvested from the hotel's own garden, as well as cherry leaves. Going to the North of the country, the custom of fish with açaí appears with a delicate and very citrusy pirarucu marinated in açaí miso with drops of Galician lemon.
Representing the Brazilian coast, the crab cone has a fun and delicate presentation, with a cone in the shape of the crab itself, made with coconut milk and fermented tomatoes.
It is impossible to talk about Brazilian food without bringing to the table the cassava , the backbone of food in the country, which in the chef's mind and creative execution arrives with a golden mollet egg. After all, it is our goose that lays the golden eggs! In a fermented tucupi broth, the egg can still have a dose of caviar on top. Moqueca is also present, with grilled prawn shrimp accompanied by a delicate tapioca flour dumpling.

In a fun menu, full of flavors, textures and ingredients that tell the gastronomic history of this giant country, the tasting menu unfolds showing the power of the waters, the forests, the people and, also, Brazilian creativity.
Desserts created by Bianca Mirabili also pastry chef at Evvai, end this trip beautifully, including guava roll cake with cream cheese and watercress, dulce de leche with Brazil nut and cupuaçu cake, carrot cake and other fun creations with Brazilian fruits.

The drinks
The letter, signed by Matheus Gusman , bartender at restaurants Evvai and Trattoria, is made up of revisited Brazilian classics, such as Rabo de Galo Especial and Marya RYja (which plays on Maria Mole); it also has five signature drinks based on national ingredients, including CambucY FYzz, ButYá Sour and Cupu MulY.
The space
Accessed from the hotel's balcony, with a unique view of the Falls, the space underwent complete renovation to house the new Y restaurant.

Right at the entrance, still with the ambient sound of the water, the imposing bar welcomes visitors, in a mix between old and new. The dark wood and original flooring of the historic 1950s house are mixed with organic and colorful rugs, intimate lighting and dark green armchairs and chairs.
In the main hall, with 48 seats, Brazilian wooden furniture in different colors, braided straw lamps and a mural by artist Adriana Carlota that refers to the colors of the Atlantic Forest create a welcoming environment that literally blends with the external setting, surrounded by for 185 thousand hectares of tropical forest.
If we had to summarize the new Y, inside the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas and also open to non-guests it would be a celebration of the diversity and gems of Brazilian gastronomy
Source: CNN Brasil

Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.