Napa at Crosswinds — Restaurant in Tagaytay

It's been a while since I last dine out. Actually since the pandemic happened I didn't risk dining out because aside from the high number of covid cases I am living with high risk individuals. Ok I will stop talking about the Covid situation and will start sharing about my personal experience in dining to Napa. I went there Dec 18, 2021, which is a Saturday with 2 of my friends by commuting from Sta. Rosa Balibago Complex to Tagaytay. We asked around and found a jeep station beside Victory Mall going to Tagaytay Market. Fare per head is P45, from the market we ride a tricycle and paid P100 for the 3 of us. We were drop-off at the corner of the road where you can see the iconic windmill and coffee project resto cafe; from that location we start walking down a long steep road where you can see lots of pine tree. If you've been to Camp John Hay in Baguio some parts of that road has a similar feel and look. We were hoping that it won't rain that time and lucky enough the weather was kind to us. Majority of the folks who visits that place has their own vehicle. That's why I shared the not so easy way of getting there via commute. There's a lot of parking spaces and majority of customers comes in groups or families. We arrived at Napa at around 3:30PM and there's a wait-list. We were number 14 on the list and we decided to wait patiently even the 3 of us haven't had lunch. We were really decided to have a feast there and fill our hunger. The downside is they only have few allotted mono block chairs outside the gate entrance of the restaurant. There is a big open space thou with a landscape and I found a huge rock where I sat with my friends while waiting for my name to be called. We were not reprimanded sitting there anyway. When finally my name was called we were seated inside the restaurant near the counter. The place is self service, there are waiters but their task is just to give the menu and clean the tables once you are done eating. People has to line up in the counter to place an order, then you have to wait until your order is finally ready for pick-up. The restaurant has a rustic feel, very homey, in other words the ambiance is really nice. They have a glass display of different cheese, cakes and other pastries. The desserts looks appetizing, however even at first I was decided to taste atleast one of their desserts I changed my mind. Later on I will explain. So we ordered 3 types of pasta. I ordered Pene with a tomato based sauce and chorizo, one of my friends had seafood spaghetti and the other one had Chicken Alfredo pasta which is also Pene. We also ordered buttered wings with Parmesan and fried cheese for appetizer. both of my friends ordered coffee frappes and I had iced brewed coffee. I'm not a coffee drinker, and my drink is bitter for my taste but it was a good choice. The iced coffee compliment with the richness of the pasta sauce. I love the fried cheese appetizer that comes with a tomato based dip, the wings is juicy with a nice flavor and dip. Their pasta serving can be shared between 2 people, specially the chicken Alfredo. So we were all full that we no longer have space for dessert. My friends requested for extra parmesan cheese. No extra charge. Food prices are around P400 and up. The pastries can range from P100 and up. Drinks can go around P200 and up. They also serve wine, cheese, cold cuts or a grazing platter. It was over all a good experience and I will definitely dine there again if I have the chance, but not soon. I suggest visit the place after the holidays or on a weekday if you don't want to wait. If you are also planning to come there with kids or elderly, bringing your own vehicle is more comfortable. By the way when we finished it's about 7PM and we had the same route going back home. It was a bit tiring walking all the way back to the main road because of the steep slope, and the tricycle charged us P50 per head going to Tagaytay Market. I hope you find this review helpful if you plan to visit this place in...

Hello, I’d like to share feedback about our visit last night.

We arrived at the entrance around 8:50 PM to visit the Napa Cafe, where the security guard asked us to pay both the entrance fee and vehicle fee. There were 7 of us, and since it was dark inside the car, we honestly stated our headcount, even though the guard didn’t verify it. So we paid a total of Php 750.00 which is expensive.

Before entering, we asked the guard what time Napa was open until. He told us they were open until 9PM and that we could stay until 9:30–10 PM inside the cafe. Based on that, we decided to go in.

When we paid at the entrance, we asked for a receipt, but the guard said it would be “in the email.” We were confused because we had not provided any email address. Later, when we looked at the ticket he gave us, we noticed there was no indication of how many people we paid for. This raises the question that once we entered Napa, how would they even verify the number of guests we had paid for?

When we reached the Napa Hut, the staff informed us they were already closing and that we could only stay until 9:15 PM. If we ordered drinks, they would be served exactly at 9:15 PM, meaning we would have to leave immediately afterward.

Because of this, we decided not to order anything and went back to the entrance to request a refund. However, the guard who let us in was no longer there. Another guard was on duty, so we politely asked where the first guard was and explained we wanted our entrance fee refunded.

The second guard said the first guard had already left. We insisted on getting our refund since we were allowed to enter even though the shops were closing at 9 PM and we couldn’t stay. The second guard explained that the first guard was “in the hotel fixing something” and even pointed to someone “down inside the Crosswinds.”

We waited 20-30 minutes, and I started feeling frustrated because it seemed like they were avoiding us. I told the second guard that if the first guard didn’t come, we would just go to him ourselves or speak directly to management about refunding the amount we paid.

The second guard kept saying, “He’s coming,” until eventually, the first guard appeared, coming from the main road, looking like he had just returned and was on his way home. He then took the refund money out of his pocket and handed it to us.

The entire situation felt very unprofessional and left us with a negative impression, especially since proper information and timely assistance could have easily avoided the situation.

For next time, please advise your security guards not to allow late-arriving customers to enter, especially if the shops or facilities are already...

Location has instagrammable spots and panoramic views. Unfortunately, that is the only thing that is going for this newly-opened restaurant.

MENU: A lot of menu items were unavailable, resulting to long lines and disappointed clients before they've taken their seats. Orders were served all at the same time--appetizer, mains, drinks after 45 minutes of wait time (we visited for weekend brunch). The Po Boy is underseasoned, the tostadas had mushy beef-cheese glop on it, there was some flavor on the truffle pasta but it was served cold. I wanted a salad but it was unavailable, which was ironic given that the resto is in Tagaytay, one of the top suppliers of salad greens in Luzon.

AMBIENCE: Too crowded for one to enjoy the sights. Wait staff are always near the counter, competing for space with patrons who are lined up to order. Crowd control can be improved especially on weekends (perhaps don't let people in if they will not order?) I find it hard to relax, always worried if I'm safely distant from the next customer.

PRICE: With the modiocre food and self-service, you'd expect food court prices. We spent 700/head for two mains, an appetizer, and two drinks. Comparing with other restos in Tagaytay, you'd spend less at Tsokolateria; add a little bit more and you'd get a filling meal at Breakfast at Antonio's or Bag of Beans (all 3 restos have full service crew).

SERVICE: Coordination between the guards and the wait staff needs a lot of improvement. Guards told us that there were no seats; wait staff told us that two tables freed up. Front of house is missing and self service takes away the premium feel of the place. The staff is attentive to requests.

COMING BACK: Yes, but maybe not in the next six months. There is a lot of room for improving the food and service. They also have to define and cater to their target market--the patrons who visit once or a few times and post pictures to fill their feeds or the foodies who keep coming back for the food and the vibe. Just for the sake of that awesome location, I hope they make the...