The Grove at Copia — Restaurant in Napa

Honestly if I could give 0 stars for service I would. We were extremely disappointed to have wasted one of our few nights in Napa eating dinner here. I understand this is supposed to be a teaching restaurant for the school and I made this reservation fully aware of that fact. However, if our server were getting a grade from me for their semester, it would be an F* I had originally wanted to book the CIA Gatehouse in St. Helena but they were closed for the students summer break. I figured we would try the Grove instead and made a patio reservation.

We had to wait 20 minutes past our reservation time before anyone was able to seat us, and when they finally were able to, we were told the only seats available were tiny rickety bistro tables off the edge of the patio (not the nice patio tables with firepits everywhere else. We were told we couldn't have one of those because larger walk-in parties needed them. I get that parties of 2 shouldn't take a 6-top on a busy night, but wow our reservation was worthless.) After waiting 15 minutes for water, we asked to be moved inside when the waiter spilled water on me when setting it down due to the unsteadiness of the table. We finally were able to be given a table inside. Next, after about 2 minutes a new server appeared and asked to take our drink orders (we hadn't yet been given menus outside but at this point were just ready for a glass of wine). For being in the middle of Napa, the wine list is abysmal and prices ridiculous.

When she brought us our drinks, she dropped them off wordlessly and skated away without seeing if we had any questions, saying anything, nothing at all. This server never returned to take our orders but reappeared at the end of the meal to bring the bill. After another 20 minutes of trying to flag ANY server down, a different server seemed confused about where our server had gone, and finally took our food order. Our water and drink glasses sat empty, and we could see our original server across the restaurant on her phone and chatting with other servers. The food itself was okay, but not worth the prices they charge. My duck breast was overcooked, and my fiancé's halibut had a fishy smell. She also got sick after this meal and we believe it was the fish. I was really looking forward to having duck on this trip since it is something that a lot of restaurants in Napa are known for, but I can honestly say it was the worst duck that I have ever had.

I really wanted to get a chance to try food that the students are learning to cook and support the CIA, but if you have limited time in Napa definitely skip the Grove. It was just as expensive as any other restaurant in town and the food and service were not anywhere close to worth it. It's a shame because the vibe was really cool and if the service had been even halfway decent, then we probably would have had a much better experience. But all together this was just a really off-putting way to spend the last night of our...

The Culinary Institute of America: Where Culinary Dreams Go to Die (Temporarily). Oh, where do I even start with the Grove / Copia at the Culinary Institute in Napa? Buckle up, folks, because this review is going to be as dry as their tiramisu.

First off, let's talk about the setup. I walked into Copia expecting a culinary enlightenment, not a culinary fight for survival. They had this grand banquet for about 100 folks, and you'd think with all those future chefs, they'd nail it. But no, they decided to play "guess who's coming to dinner" with the plates.

The Watermelon Carpaccio Salad: Now, watermelon carpaccio sounds like something you'd find in a gourmet's dream, right? Instead, it felt like they took a watermelon, slapped it on a plate, and said, "Close enough!" And oh, the share plates! Imagine trying to share a watermelon slice with your date, only to accidentally fork their hand because you're both starving.

The Main Event: The cod, oh the cod! It was so good, it made me question my life choices. However, it was like finding a diamond in a landfill. The chicken? It was cooked like it had personally offended the chef. Overdone, dry, and tough - it was like chewing on a historical artifact.

Service: Imagine you're at a banquet, and instead of the attentive service you'd expect, you get a bunch of confused interns who seem more lost than a vegetarian at a barbecue. They didn't even bother to ask if you wanted fish or chicken, leading to a buffet of bewildered guests and wasted food. It was like watching a slow-motion train wreck.

Dessert: And now, the tiramisu. If dryness was an art, they'd have a gallery. It was like biting into a sponge that had been left out in the Sahara. And for those who don't drink coffee? Tough luck, because that was your dessert option. Choose your poison: dry or drier.

Final Thoughts: Copia, you're in Napa, the culinary mecca, with the Culinary Institute's name on your door. Yet, this banquet was less "dining experience" and more "survival challenge." The only reason I'm giving this two stars is because the venue is pretty, and that cod was divine. But for the love of all that's crispy, get your act together.

Would I recommend? Only if you're into culinary Russian roulette. Two stars for the venue and the cod, but for the rest? You might want to reconsider your life choices or at least bring your own snacks.

This place needs a culinary...

Was really looking forward to returning to Copia. Reserved ahead for a birthday dinner for a friend, got a great table and sparkling wine to start, a nice touch from the restaurant.

We ordered, and chose the Fritto Misto appetizer, and specified the scallop add-on since the menu seemed to say calamari OR scallops. We asked what vegetables were included, the server mentioned a number of veggies including fried flowers, which I was thinking would be a squash blossom. We also ordered the bread, and an entree. The server brought the appetizer and it very clearly contained the tentacles of calamari - we mentioned to her that we ordered the scallop and she said it included both - curious because I had specifically asked for scallop and she hasn't said anything then. We dug in to very delicately battered (yummy, light, well seasoned batter) and found green beans, carrots, perhaps one piece of cauliflower, and some battered/fried lemon rounds, and NO scallops. We called her over, and she then that this item included both calamari and scallops. When we insisted there were not (and got the feeling she was accusing us of eating them), she took back the basket although we had veggies and calamari still uneaten on the serving basket (and no sign of any fried flowers or any sort). After some time, she brought back what was obviously the same basket she had taken. All remaining veggies we didn't eat had been tossed, three pieces of scallops were now on the plate with the old crispy crumbs, fried in a less delicious, salty batter - disappointing that we lost out on some of the deliciously fried veggies that she took and didn't return with. We asked for the bread when she removed the half eaten appetizer, which didn't come out for another delay, brought by another waitstaff person.

Perhaps it was the delay in preparing and bringing out the scallop pieces, but it then took a VERY long time to get our Rockfish entree.

The original appetizer in the light well seasoned batter was delicious, the entree was good. The service (incorrect description of dishes, handling of customer concern, delayed bread delivery, slow pacing between appetizer and entree) made for a much less than...