The Olive and Grape replacing Olive You

Paola Corsini is buying the former Olive You and changing its name to The Olive and Grape. Olive You, 8516 Greenwood Ave. N., has been closed since it was heavily damaged by arson last Nov. 9.
Today, new owner Paola Corsini tells us she is buying the restaurant from her good friend, Timur Leno, who will help her with the menu. It will have an extensive menu of olive oils, and a wine bar.
She says Leno is like family, which is why he will help influence her menu. “We decided that everybody liked Olive You’s food, but we’re going to have our own concept,” she says. “It’s my plan, when you enter that place, you feel like you’re in Italy or France, with all of the garlic and olive oil and people smiling.”
Corsini is Italian but was raised in Turkey. She says she speaks five languages and is steeped in three cultures, which will heavily influence the new restaurant’s aesthetic and menu. She plans plenty of olive oil and wine tasting events, regular live music and guest artists.
“We’re going to try to bring the Mediterranean in there,” says, adding that butter will be very rare in the kitchen, only healthier olive oil. “I’m fighting with my cook, no butter in my kitchen! I almost fired him the other day,” she said jokingly.
The Olive and Grape hopes to open in about two or three weeks, however, it will open temporarily Friday night for the monthly Artwalk and Summer Streets program. The restaurant will feature photography by Eryyn Rose and drawings by Greenwood artist Janet Baker. They’ll also have live music and balloons for the kids, hors d’oeuvres, and olive oil tastings.