By Chelsea Karnash

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (CBS) – Atlantic City Restaurant Week returned to the Jersey shore on March 4th, drawing in eager diners from all over the area.

But before the week-long event was the preview party, and that was a big success as well—not just for restaurants and their customers, but for several local nonprofits.

The preview event, dubbed “The Taste of Atlantic City,” was held on Tuesday, Feb. 28 and gave guests an exclusive preview of many of AC Restaurant Week’s participating restaurants. But it also raised more than $8,500 for charities like the Community FoodBank of NJ/Southern Branch, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Alcove of Atlantic County and the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority Foundation.

For just $35, guests were treated to a sampling of food prepared by 15 of the restaurants participating in the city’s restaurant week as well as music from a live band. The event was sponsored by the Atlantic City Country Club and the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA).

Atlantic City Restaurant Week runs through March 10, 2012. For more information, visit www.acrestaurantweek.com or check out our guide.