Opened on the Lower East Side by chef Vitor Mendes, Iara is a standout Brazilian restaurant that highlights live-fire cooking and Amazonian ingredients, particularly cassava. The menu features creative dishes such as cheese bread served with charred-eggplant dip, crispy tapioca cubes topped with chilled tuna and jambo herb, comforting coconut fish stew, and a unique take on steak frites made with long tapioca fries. With a dining room decorated with cassava, a largely gluten-free and vegan-friendly menu, and seats available at the chef's counter, the restaurant provides a fresh and distinctive dining perspective despite being a tough reservation.