The Monica (Tucson, Arizona)

“Food made with love is the best kind of food.” So said Monica Flin. She’s right, of course, and I wanted to learn more about her when I had dinner at her eponymous restaurant in Tucson.

Monica was the daughter of early settlers of Tucson, originally from France. Her father was a stonemason who helped to build Tucson’s original San Agustin Catholic Cathedral in the mid-1800s. Monica was the eldest of eight children and named after Saint Monica, the mother of, appropriately enough, Saint Augustine. She married and lived in Mexico for a time, but after she became a widow in 1922, she returned to Tucson and opened a small, one-room restaurant. Her cooking and business skills took off, and for over a century those skills, and her legacy, have been pleasing residents of and visitors to Tucson. Still a family-owned restaurant, The Monica continues to prize love as the best ingredient.

The Monica has no pretenses. The space is open and basic, with exposed ducts and HVAC systems on the ceiling, over the large dining area and the friendly bar. Customers order their food at a long counter, then claim a table, either inside or out on the exceptionally large patio. Once seated, they eagerly await an excellent meal in downtown Tucson.

Try This: From the list of cocktails, choose the Rio Nuevo, a blend of vodka, Persian cucumber, agave, lime, soda, and mint. Then order up the outstanding poblano corn chowder. For the main course, there’s a wonderful seared salmon with citrus chimichurri and shaved lemon, served with rosemary ancho chili gravy and mashed potatoes. The double chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and a crème sugar center is a great sweet ending.