I've lived in The Woodlands for 25 years, and one of the things I've always enjoyed is getting to know the people behind our local restaurants.
The Olive Oil on Sawdust Road is one of those places with a pretty interesting family story.
The restaurant originally opened in 2008, but in 2010, Toula Huliaris and her husband took it over after the original owner decided to return to Greece. They kept the name, but the menu? That's a different story.
Toula and her family brought their own recipes, many of them passed down through generations from their hometown of Chios, Greece. In fact, Toula will tell you herself, "We changed all of the recipes."
And I love that. Instead of trying to recreate what someone else had started, they brought a little piece of their own family history to The Woodlands.
Their children, George and Marianna, grew up around the restaurant. They started out bussing tables, learned the business, and today they're still part of what makes The Olive Oil special. I really appreciate a family-owned restaurant where the next generation wants to be involved. And after all these years, they're still serving the recipes that brought their family together in the first place.
I recently had lunch at The Olive Oil with my friend George Lindahl. It was a great opportunity to catch up, enjoy some good food, and talk a little Alabama and Ole Miss football. Of course, we don't always see eye to eye when it comes to football. LOL.
But what I really enjoyed was hearing more about George's mission trips to Honduras and the homes he and a friend are building for families there. It's pretty amazing what people in our own community are doing to help others.
Now, let's talk about lunch!
I ordered the Vodka Shrimp Penne, and it was fantastic. Plenty of shrimp, pasta covered in a creamy tomato vodka sauce, and warm pita bread on the side. And yes, I used that pita to soak up the last of the sauce. No sense letting something that good go to waste!
George went with the grilled salmon, and I have to say, his plate looked pretty darn good too. The salmon was served over a bed of fresh spinach, with seasoned potato rounds, green beans, a lemon wedge, and a creamy sauce on the side. What I liked about his meal was how simple everything looked. Nothing fancy or overdone. Just a nicely prepared piece of salmon with fresh vegetables and a presentation that made you want to dig in. Between his salmon and my shrimp penne, I think we both made some pretty good choices!
Friday and Saturday Night Is a Whole Different Thing
If you've only been to The Olive Oil for a weekday lunch, you haven't seen the whole picture. Friday and Saturday nights starting at 7 PM, this place turns into a genuine Greek celebration, and I mean that in the best possible way.
Live Greek music fills the room. Then the belly dancers come out, and the whole energy shifts. People who came in for a quiet dinner are suddenly clapping along, laughing, and pulling out their phones. The kids at the table next to you are wide-eyed. Grandparents are grinning. That's the kind of night it is.
And then there's the plates. Yes, they actually smash plates. It's a real Greek tradition, and The Olive Oil does it right. When those plates hit the floor, the whole room cheers. I don't know many restaurants around The Woodlands where you can watch that happen while you're finishing a bowl of Vodka Shrimp Penne. It's the kind of moment kids talk about on the way home and parents remember for a long time.
If you've been looking for something different to do with your family on a Friday or Saturday night, this is it. Bring the kids, bring the grandparents, bring the neighbors. Everyone leaves happy.
The Huliaris family also offers catering and private events, and they're not just bringing the food. They can bring the whole Greek experience, including appetizers, grilled meats, homemade dips, music, and belly dancing. Sounds like a pretty fun party to me!
The community piece matters too. The Huliaris family supports area schools, local churches, Marisa's Purpose, and the Montgomery County Food Bank. For a family-owned restaurant to show up consistently like that says something about who they are beyond the kitchen. You can also read about another Sawdust institution worth knowing: Pit Master Bar-B-Que Has Been the Real Thing on Sawdust for Decades.
The Olive Oil is at 373 Sawdust Rd, Spring, TX 77380. Call them at (281) 367-0114. Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM; Friday and Saturday, 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Takeout and delivery are available.
Fifteen years on Sawdust, same family, same recipes from Chios. Stop meaning to go and just go.