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What kind of a crazy gringo would create amazing tomales, salsas and more, and sell his fine cuisine at various outlets all over the greater Sacramento area and the gold country? You guessed right, it's The Crazy Gringo Taco Wagon Salsa Co, located in Cameron Park, CA. As with all of reviews that I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: It's late Saturday morning, May 23, 2026, and I'm visiting the Placer Farmer's Market, where The Crazy Gringo Taco Wagon Salsa Co. has a booth set up, and has tamales, enchiladas, salsa and chips for sale. Placer Farmer's Market is located in the parking lot of the historic Placer County courthouse, in old town Auburn, CA. The farmers market runs every Saturday morning of the year, and showcases Placer-grown fruits, vegetables, honey, a few crafts, and always a couple of restaurants and food vendors, including The Crazy Gringo, who sets up his food stand every Saturday of the year at the market.
Photo: The menu board lists the products for sale. The tamales, enchiladas, salsa and chips are made at the store in Cameron Park and shipped to the location where they are sold. The Crazy Gringo is a pop-up operation, and sets up shop at local breweries, farmers markets, grocery stores and other venues all over the greater Sacramento area.
Photo: "The Crazy Gringo" himself, Eric, helps a customer at the farmers market.
Photo: After I ordered two tamales, Eric went to the back of his vehicle and got them out of an ice chest. The tamales were already cooked, but chilled, and all you needed to do was warm them to enjoy. As you'll see later, I didn't bother with the warming, as the tamales are delicious chilled.
Photo: Meet Eric Tomkins, a.k.a., "The Crazy Gringo," and the Chef and CEO of The Crazy Gringo Taco Wagon Salsa Co., located in nearby Cameron Park. Eric is a friendly guy, and it was a pleasure chatting with him.
Photo: I'm a happy guy as I hold my tamales, ready to enjoy. After enjoying the chicken tamale, I decided to take the pork tamale home with me, as I was planning to enjoy a pizza at Coyote Pizzeria, located in old town Auburn.
Photo: I went with two tamales, one chicken and one pork. I opened up the chicken tamale to enjoy for a snack and saved the pork tamale for future enjoyment. The chicken tamale was wrapped with skill in a corn husk in perfect form, and it was an item of beauty to look at. After unwrapping the tamale from the corn husk, I admired the soft masa - corn dough - that made the tamale. Inside, the tamale featured seasoned, finely shredded chicken, which made a savory, moist filling, enhanced by green chili sauce with robust flavor and just enough heat to put a smile on my face. I cut the tamale in half and enjoyed the goodness! The chicken was tender and seasoned, and the green chili sauce added flavor and just the right amount of heat. I would rate the tamale at "mild with a little spice" which would make 95% of tamale happy, but not scare away the timid diners. "The Crazy Gringo" makes delicious tamales! I was hanging around downtown Auburn waiting for Two Ass Brewing Company to open, and I didn't have any way to heat the chicken tamale, so I simply ate it lukewarm, and I loved every bite! A couple days later I enjoyed the pork version. Like the chicken tamale, the juicy pork filling was spooned inside the delicious masa, and the entire tamale was enclosed within a corn husk. The pork filling was mild and flavorful, and the red chili sauce added bold flavor, with just a touch of heat. Since I enjoyed the pork version at home, I used a microwave oven to heat it. Which version did I like the most? That's a difficult question, but I'll have to go with the pork, as it was a tad spicier than the chicken, and the flavor was a notch up on the bold side of the fence. Which ever version you choose, The Crazy Gringo makes delicious tamales!
Photo: I cut the chicken tamale in half for easier eating and to take a peek at the goodness inside the masa. Owner and chief chef, Eric Tompkins, a.k.a. "The Crazy Gringo," is a great guy, and his tamales are simply delicious! It was great to meet him and enjoy two of his fine tamales while enjoying the amazing ambiance the Placer Farmer's Market has to offer. Don't be crazy... enjoy fine hand-crafted tamales, enchiladas, salsa and tortilla chips at The Crazy Gringo Taco Wagon Salsa Co., coming to a farmer's market or a brewery near you, all over the greater Sacramento area and the California gold country. The Crazy Gringo Taco Wagon Salsa Co. Copyright(c) 2026 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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