I took a break from my usual routine of boat action and drinks at my favorite bars in the Q.C. this past weekend. For those of you who are wondering, no, that doesn’t mean I didn’t drink. I went to the Bull City — i.e. Durham, NC — to participate as a bridesmaid in a wedding that I’ll remember for a lifetime. It was the first marriage among my closest college friends, so you can imagine the entire experience was an emotional rollercoaster.

After three nights staying up until 4 a.m. and driving back to Charlotte on Sunday, I started to come down from my wedding/reunion high and I genuinely felt depressed. The entire weekend was riddled with thoughts of loss. The loss of loved ones. The loss of college youth. The loss of wasted time in terrible relationships. The loss of alcohol as we relived our younger years over the toilet. You get the point...weddings bring out the happiest and saddest memories at the same damn time.

Nevertheless, I started to feel even more depressed when I thought about the loss of my favorite restaurants in my old hometown. And then, the greatest reminder showed up in my work inbox. The email was from a co-worker and the subject line read: 204 North. I opened the email and it said: Would you guys want to do restaurant week tomorrow at 204 North at 6:30? As the old Southern Baptists would say, “Won’t God do it?!”

In the midst of wedding plans and whining over everything, I had completely forgotten that Charlotte Restaurant Week aka Queen’s Feast had officially kicked off on Friday, July 22. Restaurant week is one of the most amazing ideas ever. Participating restaurants offer foodies and restaurant goers the opportunity to experience three-course meals for a fraction of the price.

I was reminded of the reservations I made during Triangle Restaurant Week (Durham’s version) in college and laughed thinking about how that was the only way we were able to afford a meal outside of our campus meal plan. I guess the fond memories of the weekend were going to follow me to the Charlotte after all.

This year at Queen’s Feast, there are 134 restaurants in the Charlotte and surrounding area participating. For those of us on a loose budget — as in I should be budgeting because I’m broke — this is as close to heaven on Earth as you can get. Picture carrot-ginger soup, sizzling juicy filet and garlic mashed potatoes, followed by chocolate cheesecake. If that doesn’t make your mouth water, I don’t know what will. And that’s just one combination you can get at the famous Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

Needless to say, that email was just what I needed to bring me back up after the weekend festivities and the resulting comedown. 204 North Kitchen and Cocktails is one of the newest additions to the Uptown restaurant scene. I’ve been meaning to coordinate a happy hour trip after work to check it out, so this sounded like a dream come true.

We snagged a reservation for six and I decided to take a look at what was going to be on the menu. I can tell you right now what I’m going to order: fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese and country ham, the 204 cheeseburger and a sorghum sticky bun. Also, in that order.

Here are a few tips for you to keep in mind before Charlotte Restaurant Week concludes on July 31:

Pro tip #1: It’s highly recommended that you make reservations during Queen’s Feast. When the prices go down, demand goes up. As such, restaurants get super busy during this time of year making it impossible to get seated in a timely manner, if at all. So make reservations and make them early.

Pro tip #2: Check out the menu beforehand. The entire menu isn’t available at Queen’s Feast prices. Make sure you’re actually interested in what the restaurant is going to be serving on the Charlotte Restaurant Week menu.

Pro tip #3: Some restaurants offer “upgrades.” For example, at Ruth’s Chris you can order a King’s Fest Entrée with your meal when you pay $45 instead of $35. This menu features larger steaks, shrimp, crab cakes, even add-ons like lobster. Take your meal to the next level and get the most bang for your buck.

Where do you plan on going for Queen’s Feast? I’d love to hear about your restaurant week experiences! Share it with me at backtalk@clclt.com.