Cafe at the J / Laykie's Gourmet – Restaurant

Coffee with a shot of community is the pitch at Laykie's Gourmet Café at the J, the kosher counter inside Houston's Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center on South Braeswood. The board runs dairy and pareve: falafel salad with roasted eggplant, spiced chickpeas and tehini dressing; garden quinoa; roasted salmon over greens; a tuna melt panini; and Laykie's Special, layering eggplant, sweet potato, pesto and feta. Baked ziti, cheese lasagna, blintzes, bourekas and potato knishes anchor the hot case. Espresso drinks include a ginger-turmeric J Booster and the earl grey London Calling. Meat items come from a separate kitchen. Closed Saturdays.

Cuisine: Restaurant