You Can Pig Out at The Committed Pig

The Committed Pig restaurant name -- actually The Committed Pig Burger and Pancake House -- brings up many questions. Is the "pig" for pork products on the menu or for the patrons who will surely want to eat a lot? It's almost as mysterious as trying to figure out a band name like, say, The Smashing Pumpkins.

It was my friend Adrienne who let our friend group know about the restaurant, and we all commented on the name. What is this place called again? It doesn't seem like an obvious name for a burger place, since, um, as most people know, beef comes from cows. My dad suggested it was for patrons who were not concerned about extra pounds and were committed to being pigs. Maybe? The fare was delicious, but it wasn't exactly diet friendly. Although neither "burger" nor "pancake" suggest a pork product, an entire section of the menu is dedicated to pork roll, one of New Jersey's favorite foods, so perhaps that offers an explanation.

When my group of friends and I visited, we noticed all the waiters in pig-themed T-shirts, either stating, "Pig Life" -- a parody on "thug life" -- or "Pig Out."

My beverage of choice was the cranberry spritzer which came served in a cute, squatty Mason jar with a lemon wedge on the side. It was light, slightly tart and refreshing, and, aesthetically, I really liked the color gradient effect it had in the glass.

When I saw all my options, I knew I had to try the baked brie burger. I've tried many different types of gourmet burgers topped with all sorts of varied cheeses: cheddar, American, Swiss, Monterey Jack, blue ... I'm a big lover of brie cheese, and this is the absolute first time I had ever seen brie as a burger topper. Brie grilled cheese was also a menu option, and I'm sure that would have been delicious, but I thought I would go for the novelty of brie and fig preserves on a burger.

I know some people are not a fan of sweet and savory combinations, so the concept of fig preserves on a burger might not seem appetizing ... and maybe even like sacrilege. I can appreciate the savory/sweet taste combo, but I don't usually like fruity sauces on meat when the sweet taste overwhelms something I expect to be savory. However, I did like this interesting combination of ingredients.

Brie and figs are a common combination, so I expected the mellow, nutty cheese to blend well with the sweet figs. The way the burger toppers were layered, there was a very good balance of flavors. The bacon offered a salty, smoky taste against the nutty and sweet tastes. The fig preserves didn't directly touch the burger, so I really didn't feel like I was eating a strange dessert burger.

The brie was fairly generous too. I was momentarily concerned when I bit into the back side of my burger and saw how much of the melty brie had slid off the top of the burger onto the brioche bun. (I also audibly said "mmm" or something to that effect.) I thought I would have to redistribute it and scoop it back on top, but it really wasn't necessary. There was so much of it.

I also have to appreciate that the burger, actually two thin layered patties, were perfectly cooked. You can see there is a tinge of pink on the inside. I had requested, "medium." You would expect a place that serves burgers or steaks to know how to cook them to their patrons' preferences of doneness, but, in other contexts, it often happens for me that a request for "medium" delivers a well done burger. This is especially true with thinner patties.

The fries were especially good. I'm a fan of a crispy fry, and these had a really nice crispy coating on the outside. Two of my friends ordered hash browns, and they too looked like they were cooked to crispy brown deliciousness.

My friend Sabrina tried something from the pork roll menu, a sandwich called The Rutgers which had pork roll, American cheese, chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks all stacked on a brioche roll. She decided this needed a knife and fork. My friend Adrienne went for an omelette with spinach and mushrooms, though as a Celiac sufferer, she did have the option of a burger with a gluten-free bun.

With so many other menu options, I would not mind visiting this place again and again -- perhaps not too often or I really might make a pig of myself. The burger menu has such offerings as the Illy Dilly Burger, topped with fried pickle chips, American cheese and Russian dressing, and The Mac and Cheese Burger, mac and cheese on top of a burger, served on grilled sourdough bread. From the pork roll menu, you can try the Pork Donut, pork roll and American cheese served on a glazed doughnut or The French Connect, gruyere, hash browns, pork roll, Dijon mustard, lettuce and tomato on a brioche bun. Are you getting hungry yet? Grilled cheese options are also far from ordinary with possibilities like Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese with fontina, gruyere and white cheddar cheeses or Garlic Avocado Grilled Cheese with smashed avocado, sun dried tomato pesto, muenster and garlic butter. How about now?

If I really am worried about being too much of a porker, I can try this gourmet but healthy option next time: a roasted beet salad with baby spinach, ricotta, candied pecans and balsamic vinaigrette.

My friends and I were entertained by the waiters' witty T-shirts, but we also found entertainment in a feature of our meal platings. Once we had emptied some food off the trays and into our tummies, we could pay more attention to the clever "newspaper" linings with news items from 1989. Our friend group covers a span of ages, but we all have some memories of the eighties. Our "newspaper" sheet (really waxed paper,) included news about Sally Ride, the astronaut, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. When we saw some news bit about the movie E.T., two of us were quick to point out it did not come out in 1989 but in 1982, but when we read further we saw it read, "It had been a blockbuster right from the start" and really wasn't making an error about its release date.

If you are ever in the area, try out The Committed Pig and bring a hearty appetite and adventurous taste buds.