Non-Kosher Friday Night dinners at Josh's Deli in Surfside

Fans of Josh’s Deli in Surfside know that Josh Marcus is the real deal. His non-Kosher deli in this primarily Orthodox neighborhood is a“fakedeli” as he notes in Instagram hashtags. His “Jewban” sandwich is renowned for its nod to the Cuban sandwich with layers of pastrami, Swiss cheese, pickles, and pork. On any given day, he is behind the counter frying up soft shell crabs, layering smoked salmon on a croissant or adding an egg to a tall pile of corned beef.

Josh's Deli Surfside Friday Night Dinners

But it is his special Friday Night dinners that are not to be missed, as this is when Josh’s Deli transforms into an intimate dining spot with white tablecloths and low lighting.

I attended a recent Friday night dinner and was immediately taken with the passion Josh has for food preparation and enjoying cooking what he wants to. The menu was focused on Dry Aged beef which Josh dry ages himself in his walk in. A quick tour of the walkin revealed his handmade, temperature and humidity-controlled glass box that almost resembled a fish tank. His ribeye is aged for 28 days, and the porterhouse for 40 days.

Dinner began with warm dinner rolls and creamy butter, followed by first course option of split pea soup with pastrami or a pastrami wedge salad. The wedge salad is a show itself, as it is served table side on a rolling cart a la Caesar with fresh blue cheese crumbles, heirloom tomatoes and dry aged pastrami.

The main course is all about the meat, and it is presented for two or four on a wood cutting board and included tender and perfectly cooked ribeye, and porterhouse. All were reversed seared in cast iron with fresh rosemary and beef butter.

Also presented as sides were roasted mushrooms in miso, garlic butter, and an amazing bone marrow Shepherds Pie and garlic confit with charred olives.

Dessert options included a Dulce de Leche cheesecake and a big slice of homemade carrot cake with cream cheese filling and frosting.