Dining Out: Modoc's Market (Wabash, IN)

 

Lots of little hand-crafted touches around the place

Exterior: 4/5

Looking across at the storefront from Eagles Theatre

The place is named after an escaped circus elephant, which I respect

"You'll be able to find it. There's elephants in front." That's how someone gave me directions to Modoc's, and they were right. The species that gave the place its name is prominently featured on the sidewalk in a very cute series of statues. The storefront fits the downtown Wabash vibe well. I'd like to see more prominent/modern signage, because without the elephants I'd have been a little hesitant that I was in the right place. That said, I have a feeling that this is one of those places that's mostly advertised via word of mouth, so if you want to find it someone will tell you where to look.

Ambience: 4/5

Homey when you walk in - merch available, too

Well-organized displays on the counter

The "back room" is full of kitschy decor

Solid bathroom vibes

Modoc's is legit cute inside. There's an entrance area with the counter, merch displays, and some seating. Then if you hang a left into the adjoining room you'll find yourself in a bigger seating space that's full of all different kinds of chairs and couches and things. They've done nice work taking a bunch of mismatched discarded stuff and making it work together. There were actually quite a few people there while I was (on a Thursday at around lunch time), but there's enough space in that secondary area that we weren't crawling all over each other. It seemed to be a popular place for folks to meet and talk. Decor-wise I wanted them to double down on the kitsch, because a place like this can go balls to the wall and really have fun with their wall hangings and things. But they were on their way and I appreciated that.

Variety: 3/5

Nice creativity in both drink formulas and names

Chicken Salad Wrap

The Modoc's menu isn't extensive. There are some drinks that sound great, and they have limited hot and cold entrees as well as some baked goods. I got the impression that the entree menu rotates; on the day I was there they were pushing grilled cheeses. I snagged a cold wrap that was already made because I was really hungry. 

Quality: 3/5

Blackberry Smoothie

This was a Monster Cookie that I was so excited to eat I forgot to take a picture first

The stuff I had here was good but not great. My wrap was fine. My smoothie, while cute, was a little thin and also full of seeds. I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed my monster cookie, which makes me curious about the other baked goods they had on offer. Maybe I should have gotten one of the fancy signature drinks that they were advertising. But my selections, as they were, didn't bowl me over. 

Kid-Friendly: 4/5

I came here alone, but there were kids running around while I was eating and they seemed to be having a great time checking out all the decorations. There were Candy Land-themed displays in the windows that made things feel nice for littles. If this were a sit-and-study sort of coffee shop I would say leave the kids at home, but it's a meet-and-talk vibe so it's not as big of a deal if they come and create mayhem. Also: elephants.

Would Eat Again?: Green Light

I'd return to Modoc's for the vibe if nothing else. It's a convenient downtown location and I enjoyed being around folks who were happy and hanging out and chatting. The ramshackle charm of the place is relaxing. Like I said, I might have had a better culinary experience if I had tried one of the fancier blended drinks, so if/when I go back in the future I might find more to love. I should note that I went here because SO many people recommended it that I felt like I couldn't say no. There's clearly a lot of local pride around this place, and I love that feeling.