Laura Doran says having one of the stars of  “The Bear” praise her restaurant on Instagram was a “pinch me” moment.

Oliver Platt had dinner Monday night at the North Haven Inn & Market, posting a photo of his tarragon butter-poached lobster with frisee, marinated cucumbers and olive oil–crushed potatoes. Under the photo he wrote that the restaurant was the “best place to have dinner on a Monday night in Maine” and thanked Doran, her husband and co-owner David McDougal and chef Ben Jackson.

Platt is one of two stars of the hit food-centric show who has a family home in Maine. Abby Elliott’s family has had a house at Cundys Harbor in Harpswell for years. When either of them heaps praise on the Maine food scene or local business owners, it’s pretty exciting. But people who have encountered Platt and Elliott in Maine say it’s not surprising.

 

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“It was just so lovely of him to post about us, a small little market and diner, on an island off the coast of Maine,” said Doran on Tuesday. “He always says he’s not a chef in real life, he just plays one, but it is so fun to have him be a fan and supporter of our business.”

The fourth season of “The Bear” began streaming on FX on Hulu on June 25. The fast-paced comedy drama focuses on award-winning chef Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), who returns to his Chicago neighborhood to take over his dead brother’s sandwich shop, eventually turning it into a fine dining establishment. Elliott plays Carmy’s sister Sugar, who helps run the restaurant, while Platt plays a close family friend known as “Uncle Jimmy,” who bankrolls the business.

Elliott has used social media to throw a spotlight on Maine businesses, too. She often shops at the Moulinette gift shop in Wiscasset, and has posted Instagram stories showing off what she’s bought, said Margot Sullivan, the store owner.

Elliott always takes time to talk to fellow shoppers who recognize her, said Sullivan. As “The Bear” has gotten more popular and Elliott has gotten more attention, Sullivan offered to open the store just for her, so she could shop alone.

But Elliott politely declined and said she’d prefer to come in during regular business hours. “She just wasn’t into that at all,” said Sullivan. “She’s so friendly and down to earth.”

Sullivan once had a package from her store delivered to Abby Elliott’s family home in Cundys Harbor, where the door was opened by comedian Chris Elliott, her father. When Chris Elliott heard the name Moulinette, he said “Oh, her favorite store.”

“I thought ‘Chris Elliot knows my store? Wow,'” said Sullivan.

 

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Since there are only a handful of places to eat on North Haven, an island 12 miles from Rockland, Platt and his family are well-known to chefs and servers. Over the years he’s dined frequently at the Nebo Lodge and The Landing at various times, including this year, said Angie and Josh Amato, owners of both places. Both of Platt’s kids worked summer jobs with the Amatos at some point.

Usually diners at Nebo Lodge and The Landing, including lots of locals who know he’s a neighbor, let Platt eat in peace. Sometimes an excited diner or staff member will see him and say “Is that Oliver from The Bear?” said Angie Amato.

Just like in “The Bear,” the staff at Nebo Lodge are too busy to focus too long on who is in the place on any given night. Sometimes the staff gets a little extra jazzed when Platt brings in his brother, Adam Platt, chief restaurant critic for New York magazine and winner of a James Beard Award for his reviews.

“The VIPs will get mentioned, but it doesn’t mean we’ll do more for the VIPs, we’re trying hard to do the best for everyone,” said Josh Amato.

A publicist for FX said Elliott was not available for an interview or to answer emailed questions about “The Bear” or her time in Maine. Questions on the same topics were also emailed to Platt, but his representatives had not responded as this story was being written.

Abby Elliott is from a family with a long legacy in show business. Her grandfather Bob Elliott was one half of the radio and TV comedy duo “Bob and Ray,” with Ray Goulding. Her father, Chris Elliott, got his start on “Late Night with David Letterman” and went on to roles in comedy blockbusters like “Groundhog Day” and “There’s Something About Mary” and was recently in the hit TV show “Schitt’s Creek.”

Abby Elliot was a cast member of the NBC comedy show “Saturday Night Live” from 2008 to 2012 and has had roles in many TV shows and films before “The Bear” debuted in 2022.

Platt is also a regular in the NBC show “Chicago Med,” has made appearances on “Chicago Fire” and had a recurring role on “The West Wing.” Some of the films he’s been in during his 35-plus-year career include “Frost/Nixon,” “Working Girl,” Indecent Proposal,” and “X-Men: First Class.” He played New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in the ESPN miniseries “The Bronx is Burning.”

McDougal, co-owner of North Haven Inn & Market, says his restaurant’s staff takes pride in treating everyone like a “somebody” and letting well-known people summering in Maine enjoy some anonymity. Still, some visitors generate a little more excitement, and because of “The Bear,” Platt is one of them.

“When small-talking with him it’s hard to separate him from his character and not pretend we’re hopeful restaurateurs wanting to impress the investor, Uncle Jimmy,” McDougal said.