$390 Menu, 3 Michelin Stars and a $12 Million Lawsuit (Best of California Part 3)

Imagine opening a restaurant with your partner and putting your heart and soul into it. After 10 years of blood, sweat and tears, you finally get all three mission stars. The hard work paid off. Then one day a retail startup opens, using the same name as your restaurant. They specialize in clothing and bedding, and many reviews are not good. Soon you are getting phone calls from their customers, and return packages start showing up at your restaurant. What do you do? Today we visit a restaurant fighting for control of the name, on which they built a reputation for 20 years. That name is Quinn's. We are back for the new restaurant of a new series, where I visit California's best restaurants. Five days, five restaurants. Each with three mission stars. To not miss any action, make sure you hit subscribe. And if you have subscribed already, thank you so much. And now let's all go to San Francisco. We arrive at the neighborhood known as Jackson Square, full of old world charm and modern sophistication. It's here where we find beautifully preserved architecture, cobblestone streets and our restaurant for today, Quinn's. The historic building dates back to the early 20th century, with classic brick and huge windows. From the sidewalk, you have a clear view of the kitchen, which makes the chefs inside look almost like street performers. Once we enter Hauler, we see that everything is brand new. Quinn's did a major redesign in 2023, which highlights the connection between the restaurant and the farm, where they get most of their organic ingredients. The tables are spaced far apart to create a more intimate atmosphere. And the earthy, warm tones of natural materials are chosen to remind you of nature. To create this beautiful space, the owners turned to Paris-based architect Diego Delgado Elias. Our first bites arrive as I'm looking through the impressive wine list. Catching my eye is a 2008 Jack Salo's Millésim, that I tried in our very first episode at Amper Alexander Marzia. There it was a deal at 540 euros. Here it is more than eight times that price, proving that location is everything. And you need to strike when the iron is hot. Here I decide to go another way, with a wine pairing. There are two options, a classic pairing for 270 euros, and a rare wine pairing for 400. The second one excites me more, so I go for that. Our first course is Tsar Nikolai Risotto Caviar, Spring Onion and Almond Waffle. It's a nice opening course with complex flavors. The first guest from the pairing is an organic 2017 Sauvignon Blanc from the northern part of Burgundy. It's light and refreshing thanks to producers Alice and Olivier Damore. It's paired with our green asparagus, cooked in spring mustard broth, fried egg and caviar. Removing the asparagus wasn't an easy task, but the server managed. The texture is so good, I couldn't get enough. It's soft with some firmness to it. Along with the sauces, caviar and egg, my goodness. This was a very good dish. So far, the cooking is elegant. Time for a new Sauvignon Blanc. This time, it's a 2010 Blanc de Fumé de Pouilly from the Loire Valley. It's dry and smoky, with lovely honey and green pepper notes. It was a huge surprise to experience such a wine. Going with it is our next course. Spring peas, lightly warmed. Tomales baked lamb and guanciale. Guanciale is a type of Italian cured meat made from pork cheeks. It gives the dish a warm umami. Another strong course. Our next wine catches me off guard. It's a mascot from the border of France and Spain, from French producer Matassa. This cuvee has notes of mango and has an amazing color. This is not the kind of natural wine I have had before. Natural wine is made with minimal intervention in both the vineyard and the winery. It starts with the soil, where no chemicals are used, and the vineyard is treated as an interconnected ecosystem. Some natural wine producers even use the lunar calendar to decide when to do what. The grapes are most often harvested by hand, and the natural fermentation process happens without using added yeast. It's also unfiltered and unrefined, which gives it a cloudy look. The philosophy behind it is to create a wine that is a true expression of the grape, the vineyard, the vintage, without industrial methods to shape its character. In some cases, the result is a vibrant flavor that is said to be more expressive of the terroir. The Matassa is joined by our next course, Pine Glide Creek White Nettle Veloute. It's fresh, deep, and rich. Crisp, refined, and gorgeous flavors. I really liked it. The restaurant continues to impress with the wine, the tasting menu, and this wonderful interior. It feels good to be here. The flavors are beautiful, and the dishes are sophisticated. Each one comes with different cutlery, and the glass selection is also very nice. The next wine selection is from Sicily. It's called Sochi Sochi from producer Tancanica. It's made with Zibibbo grapes. I'm generally not a fan of natural wines, unless they are amazing as this. It's partnered with Hokkaido Sea Urchin Risotto with passion fruit. I saw this on the a la carte menu, and was curious, and had to try it. It added about 100 euros to the bill, but was so worth it. The presentation isn't in line with the rest, but it makes up for it with rich, savory flavor. Our next course gives us a seat at the chef's table. Here we get up close and personal to traditional cooking. And we get the chance to meet the chef, Michael Tusk. While studying art history in university, he took his first cooking job and fell in love. After that, he went straight to the Culinary Institute of America in New York. And then got experienced in France and Italy, where his time in the Barbarasco region had a big effect on him. To this day, he is a strong believer of Materia Prima, the Italian term for working with the best possible raw materials. In 1988, he returned to the Bay Area. He worked at the Legendary Stars restaurant, before moving to Cepanese for four years. From there, he joined Chef Paul Bertolli at Olivetto. And after six years there, he started looking for the perfect location for his own restaurant. In 2003, he and his wife Lindsay found a place in the Pacific Heights, and opened Quinn's. An Italian-inspired restaurant that made the most of Northern California produce. In 2007, they got the first Michelin star, before moving Quinn's to its current location in Jackson Heights. In 2014, came the second star. In 2017, the third. And in 2020, they were one of the first to get the Michelin green star. Next to Quinn's are two other Tusk properties. One is the Quinn's Bar and Salon. On the other side is the sister restaurant called Cotogna. The kitchen has a steady stream of fruits, vegetables and flowers from the Big Rum farm. As if they weren't busy enough, in 2020, Chef and his wife started a non-profit called Feed the Future. Now, in 2024, Chef Tusk finds himself in new territory. The California court. Fighting to protect the name and defend the reputation, it took him over 20 years to build. Against a new online startup also using the Quinn's name. In the lawsuit, the restaurant claims that the online company's use of the name Quinn's creates brand confusion and damages their reputation. Making things worse, shopper complaints for the online company went to the Better Business Bureau under the restaurant's name. But for Chef Tusk, the last straw came when the retailer added kitchen goods to its website and called them Michelin-worthy cookware. It prompted Chef Tusk to file a lawsuit, seeking exclusive control of the Quinn's name, plus hefty damages to the tune of 12 million dollars. What's next? Watch to the end to find out. And now, back to the chef's table. Our wine here is a 2001 Riesling from the Sierra Foothills. It's called Once Upon a Time by producer Claude Saron. It's matched with a white asparagus tortellini in fermented white asparagus sauce. Amazing dish and the sauce was exceptional. The fact that we could sit in the kitchen and eat this was both wonderful and fascinating. You get to see up close the quality and beauty of everything. Even the serving trays. Our next wine is an Italian Red. It's a 2021 from the Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo region in central Italy. It's a Montepulciano. But it's not to be confused with the place of the same name in southern Tuscany. It comes with this. West Marine Black Cod, wrapped in chanterelle mushrooms and fresh chard, and topped with garlic scape and smothered in Vingeanne. When the sauce was poured, it felt like something from the Rothschild collection. I think I saw an angel in there. Getting ready for the main course, we have a range of international cutlery. A butter knife from Japan, a mini cleaver from California and a fork from Germany. For main course, we have a 1987 bottle of Chapelle signature Cabernet Sauvignon. This is from Napa Valley and has been perfected over the last 50 years. It's beautifully concentrated with flavors of blackberry and toasted oak. What's better than a nice vintage wine? Two nice vintage wines. This is the 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon from the producer we saw earlier, Claude Saron. It's great to compare these two Cabernets from different years and from different areas of California. And now, the main course. Dunwatson Spring Lamb, cooked in the fireplace with a salad of fava, green garlic and roasted wild spring onion. We saw this on the spit earlier. Here we have different cuts of meat. This was intense. With main course is done, cheese is next. But first, two wines to go with it. One is nearly 100 years old. It's a 1929 Madeira from the Olivieras. They are an independent Madeira wine producer on the island's south coast. This dessert wine is luscious and sticky sweet. The other is a 1962 Gallinara. It's a bone-dry Nebbiolo from the Piedmont region of Italy. Two wines, two completely different profiles. Our cheese selection is a mix of local and imported cheese. This is not included with the tasting menu, but we added it for 35 euros. Now, it's time for the sweet courses. This part of the menu is thanks to the pastry chef, Sean Gaon. His first creation is children's barb, sorrel and ginger. It's a beautiful mix of flavor, from tangy to sweet. For our next dessert, we are on the move. Next door, the Queen's Bar and Salon. It's a slightly more relaxed version of Queen's and does not require a reservation. I am obsessed with this space. The fixtures, the artwork, the antique furniture, everything. It's a mix of Nordic and Japanese elements, with carved-out spaces that make it really inviting. It feels like someone's elegant home. Our last wine of the evening is a sparkling rose from Bougie Cerdon in France. It's a combination of red grapes of the Beaujolais and Jura regions. It's semi-sweet and has a bright grapey flavor. Next in the sweet lineup is warm rhubarb, strawberry and bronte pistachio tart. Here we see tangy and sweet again, but this time it's joined by the nutty pistachio. Continuing the tour, we arrive at one of my favorite places. The wine cellar. It's magnificent. 10,000 bottles, 2,500 unique selections, and they even decorate with fresh flowers every day. To finish things off, we have a selection of bombons. And that will do it for today. Our total is around 2,000 euros for two. So what's next for Chef Tosk in his battle for the Queen's name? While we are making this video, a judge will decide whether to dismiss the case or bring it to a jury trial. Chef, I hope that Lady Justice sides with you. No matter what happens in the case, I think one thing is for sure. Queen's, the restaurant, will continue to serve the best Italian-inspired Californian cuisine with high-quality, locally grown, organic ingredients. Where the service is elegant, refined and friendly. And the stunning interior creates an inviting atmosphere that will make you want to stay. In the next episode of Alexander the Guest, part four of our five-part series, discovering the best three Michelin-star restaurants in California.