Mohamed Ali Darar stands four-stories above Main and Repass Streets looking out over the Pamlico River. To the left, the water flows past Castle Island, the drawbridge, and widening coastline into the currents of the Atlantic. To the right, it passes gently under osprey nests drifting west into the Tar River and the sunset. It’s just another day in Washington, North Carolina. But to Mohamed, this moment is everything. It’s affirmation.

"Look at that view. Where are you going to find another view like that? You can’t," And with that statement, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, fills his lungs with the fresh breeze and a sense of accomplishment.

Six years ago, Mohamed and his wife, Dr. Reem Darar saw something special in Washington. This little town on the water is considered by many to be the best kept secret of the Inner Banks. Art galleries and shops fill the charming downtown. Boat slips along the waterfront draw local and international visitors. There’s live music in the gazebo. Kayaks dart about on the water. Dogs play fetch in the park. It’s everything you want from an idyllic coastal town, without all the congestion and traffic.

For Mohamed, Washington was both a beautiful town and a beautiful opportunity. So, within months of his visit, he moved his family to the area and began work on opening a business. But not just any business. It had to be something the area didn’t have. It had to be something as unique as the town itself. Enter the Mulberry House.

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Standing tall on Main Street, the Mulberry House has brought life back into one of the town’s original buildings. Mohamed and his partners invested millions to renovate a 200 year old shipping terminal that sits just off the waterfront. White tables line the wall set against stylish blue banquette seating. Edison lights fall in wired clusters from the tin ceilings. At the far end of the main dining room is a gorgeous bar that opens to a massive, covered patio. This 17,000 sq. ft. building capitalizes on its coastal location making it one-of-a-kind -as original as Washington itself.

Farm to Table at its Best

As visitors walk through the front door, they step on a penny-tiled black and white floor that leads into a farm to table restaurant. And when we say farm to table, we mean real farm to table. One of the benefits of being in Washington is that the restaurant has quick access to North Carolina produce and seafood. So, the Mulberry House has taken advantage of this. All the produce used in their dishes is brought in from local farms. All the fish come right out of the Pamlico or waters of the Atlantic. That means the menu at the Mulberry House is always fresh and changes with the seasons.

"You know where New York restaurants get their seafood? Right out there," says Darar, pointing to the Pamlico River. "Not in Maine or Baltimore. At Mulberry House, most of our produce and seafood comes directly from North Carolina farmers and fishers. I can make a day trip to a farm and see what’s fresh and in season. I know which crops are having a good or bad yield because of local conditions and a heads up from our farmers. From there, our world-class chefs plan the Mulberry House menu accordingly."

Ready for a taste? Tonight the menu choices include Chicken Tagine; vermouth-braised chicken thighs in a Moroccan-spiced chicken jus served with Carolina fried rice, green olives and preserved lemon. In the mood for seafood? Try fresh Swordfish served with couscous risotto and brusselkraut. The menu options are mouth-watering and the servings are plentiful.

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Scenic Rooftop Bar

So how do you top a farm to table restaurant? You add a rooftop speakeasy bar with million dollar river views that you can only get in Washington.

Just hop in the elevator and press four. After a short trip north, the doors open and guests are greeted by a gentle river breeze. To the left is a full bar. Straight ahead is the covered VIP area and access to lots of open roof seating.

From the clear glass railing, guests can see up the river for miles. There is no other view like this in Washington or anywhere close by. The Rooftop opened earlier this year and has already become the place to take in the spectacular evening sunsets and raise a glass to Mother Nature.

There’s an event calendar that is always full. Tonight, there’s a four-piece jazz band playing as the sun goes down and the roof deck fills up. Folks nosh on oysters, green curry mussels, jade ceviche, and spring rolls. A friendly server walks past wielding a tray filled with pints of beer and a gorgeous marmalade colored cocktail in a coupe glass.

The cocktail menu features historic cocktails from pre-prohibition to the post-war eras. If a fancy cocktail from the 1920s doesn’t quite do it for you, their selection of Rooftop Signatures are guaranteed to put you in a better mood.

"It’s definitely a speakeasy without the secrecy," says Darar. "But you’ll find the kind of hard-to-get liquors and one-of-a-kind cocktails here that you would find in a speakeasy."

Unique drinks? Check. One-of-a-kind views? Check. Plans to go? Check.

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Being Original

Mohamed Ali Darar exhales. He turns to a group of visitors standing on the rooftop beside him and asks a simple question, "So, what do you think?" Then he listens as each one responds.

There are compliments about the food, and about how amazing the views are. With each conversation Mohamed’s smile grows. Six years ago he saw something special in Washington: so much so he moved here and invested millions of dollars. Now he stands on the rooftop of his creation as visitors and locals confirm that his initial impression was right. This place is special. And what he has built at the Mulberry House makes it even more so.

Now he can breathe.