Rosenfeld’s Jewish Deli -Ocean City, Md.

Maryland fressers of a certain age might remember Hofberg’'s Delicatessen in Silver Spring, Md. The place was truly Kosher, and I still remember the sign behind the counter that proudly proclaimed: “”The only ham we serve at Hofberg’s is Hamm’s Beer!”” The place was open until 4am, and I spent many a late-night in there winding down from 4-5 hours on stage playing rock ‘n’ roll, enjoying one of their incredible open-faced reubens; slowly growing from a svelte teenage Foodlet to a fully rounded Foodie. In retrospect, “growing” — or perhaps rounded — is the operative word.

Later generations still speak reverently of the long-gone Celebrity Deli on Nebel St. in Rockville, Md. (Ahh, Chuck Rossler'’s matzoh ball soup and chunky, all white-meat chicken salad on pumpernickel!) Or EdMart on Reisterstown Road in Baltimore (the rainbow cake!) and Attman'’s in downtown Baltimore (the ruder they are behind the counter, the better the food tastes there on Lombard St.).

No matter where you get your Jewish fix, one can’'t help compare non-New York delis to the epicenter of deli devotion: New York City. Specifically, Carnegie on 7th at 55th (sadly closed forever as of the end of 2016), Katz’s at 205 E. Houston (pronounced “HOUSE-ton”), and for the strictly Kosher, the 2nd Ave. Deli (162 E. 33rd – oh, the onion rings). I’'m sure I will get emails protesting these choices, but those still remain my favorites.

So it was with some trepidation that I responded to Warren Rosenfeld'’s kind invitation to visit his new Jewish (not Kosher — he politely informed me that there IS a difference) deli in Ocean City, Md. “What about the pickles,” I fretted. “Will the meats find that perfect spot between fatty and lean?” I tossed and turned as they slowly built the place over the winter of 2013, dreaming of cheesecake, black-and-white cookies, bright green cracklin'’ half-done pickles and the perfect chopped liver. They opened in late spring 2013, and I managed to sneak in there several times undetected, though on later visits I was “outed” by their opening GM, Jeff Osias, who left to return to his roots at DiFebo’'s in Bethany and Rehoboth Beach. But the show must go on!

I'’ll start with the stars of the show: The Matzoh Ball Soup is very, very good. It is of the “chicken noodle” persuasion (not unlike Rossler’'s nectar-of-the-gods version in Rockville, Md.). Though purists might scoff at it not being just plain chicken broth, scoff away: It’'s my website. The matzoh ball is a bit firmer and creamier than the more crumbly variety I’'m used to, but the taste is certainly there and the soup is a must-get.

I love “half-dones.” A half-done is a lightly brined pickle that is still crunchy and bright green. They are an absolutely necessary requirement for a Jewish Deli to earn its name. The half-dones at Rosenfeld’s Jewish Deli are crunchy, crispy, cold, and fill the bill perfectly. They start you out with just a couple, but are happy to refill the stainless bowl on request. Just be sure to eat them. They are too good to go to waste. On that subject, they are often out of the half-dones in the off-season. The problem is that the reduced business requires the pickles to soak in the brine longer. After a while, they eventually pickle themselves into just regular Kosher pickles. So there.

I was surprised to see Stuffed Cabbage (holishkes). Traditionally served for Sukkot, the autumn harvest festival, they come in all varieties depending on what part of the Mediterranean you’'re used to. I am most familiar with the Middle-Eastern version where the cabbage leaf-wrapped rice/lamb combination is slowly cooked in a lemon-based broth with perhaps a bit of garlic. So when they showed up covered in a tomato-based marinara (it was too light to be a sauce) I was intrigued. The slight sweetness of the marinara reminded me of the best stewed tomatoes I’'d ever had. Slightly sweet, chunky, yet still light enough to allow the taste of the filling to shine through. The rolls (2, yet) were still firm and meaty. They were delicious. But if you’'re getting a sandwich, order them to share.

Another star of the show is the Chopped Liver. I was incognito on that visit, so I couldn't out myself by using the camera, but trust me: This creamy concoction is savory, smooth and delicious. My spies have also reported positive encounters with the Herring in Cream Sauce, the Kishka (with gravy) and the Cucumber and Onion Salad.

The Holy Grail of any deli is the meats, and my go-to tests are of the corned beef and the pastrami. I had heard mixed reviews on the meats at Rosenfeld's. So I was ready for anything.  We ordered the 12 oz. versions of both the Corned Beef sandwich and the Pastrami sandwich. They offer 8 oz. of meat for the wimps, 12 oz. for those who take this sort of thing seriously, and 16 oz. for the committed fressers (you know who you are!). My corned beef was served on very fresh rye (I love it soft and fresh), with Swiss cheese, slaw and Russian dressing. (I have been known to slather a bit of deli mustard for good measure.) My favorite Foodie-in-Waiting insisted on ordering the pastrami “plain.” Boring, yes, but admittedly a good way to truly test the taste.

Positives on the meats: Thinly sliced (these meats are fatty by nature, and thin slices make for a better mouth-feel). Perfect color (they must be red, which indicated proper salting procedures were followed in the brining process). The pastrami was generously peppered.

Negatives on the meats: Though the taste of Rosenfeld’s corned beef and pastrami was perfectly fine, neither of the meats were pickled strongly enough. I tasted none of the coriander, bay leaf and slight sweetness that is prevalent in house-brined versions. Keep in mind that both Carnegie and Katz’s in New York brine their own meats. The taste is wonderfully strong and bright with acidity, with “a pickling spice” edge that varies from batch to batch. Warren, have you considered brining your own meat? It would probably be cheaper in the long run and you could tailor it to what I know you are used to. Just sayin’…. [The friendly Mr. Rosenfeld actually answered that question by telling me that he didn't have the room in the Ocean City facility to bring that many briskets at once. Makes sense. But he is thinking of expanding northward, and I'm going to hold him to his promise!]

I will certainly get both sandwiches again, but I will silently wish for a stronger kick from both the corned beef and the pastrami. By the way, the cole slaw is simply perfect for the sandwiches; –not too wet, and still cold and crunchy. The textural roller coaster of the soft rye against the crackle of the slaw and the warmth of the meat was delightful. All 12 ounces were happily devoured, if not with the lingering reservations enumerated above.

Warren Rosenfeld urges you to “Fill your belly at our Jewish Deli” for breakfast, lunch and dinner at 63rd and Coastal Highway, just before the exit to the Rt. 90 bridge. Get into the turn lane for the bridge and watch closely for their sign. Turn right immediately AFTER you pass the sign for lots of free parking. Don'’t hesitate, or you will end up in Bishopville. It’s nice there this time of year, but there are no half-done pickles in Bishopville.

There are lots more things to try, including their smoked fish, bagels, latkes, fried bologna (! – love the stuff, especially wrapped around a Hebrew National frank), omelets, pancakes, reubens, salads … – there's certainly something for everybody at Rosenfeld’s, and you do not have to be Jewish to love it. Warren promises that.

Call (410) 520-0283 to check hours before trekking down there (especially in the off-season), and in-season hours are 7:30 a.m. ‘til 9 p.m. daily. Take a look at Rosenfeld’s lunch/dinner menu here. (B, L, D) Price range: Expensive -.

Off-season Specials & Hours