UPDATE: The Zoagie food truck is now located at 693 S. Broadway in Pennsville in the parking lot of the Salem County Fraternal Order of Police building. The truck is there every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

PENNSVILLE -- On Route 49 in Pennsville, there is a nondescript food trailer parked next to a Sunoco gas station.

The only identifier is an adjacent bright-yellow sign that reads: "ZOAGIES."

What is a Zoagie, you ask?

It's a one-of-a-kind, deep-fried hoagie created accidentally by Ezell Barnes of Salem.

And it's South Jersey comfort food at its finest: Barnes first deep-fries a hoagie roll, then fills it with one of his fresh, fried meats -- chicken, shrimp, fish or crab -- or a combo of one, two, three or all four selections. Then comes an array of special sauces, fresh lettuce and cherry tomatoes.

But these unique sandwiches, which follow Rutgers' grease trucks in New Jersey's calorie-packed tradition, aren't the only thrill at the Zoagies truck. Barnes himself is a total character -- a fast-talking, singing, rhyming chef who engages every customer like a close friend.

Ezell Barnes prepares a Whiting Zoagie on the Zoagies food truck at the Pennsville Sunoco, Monday, Jan. 16, 2017. A Zoagie is a fried hoagie. (Tim Hawk | For NJ.com)

"Here at Zoagies, we're not looking for a one-time fling or a one-night stand," Barnes said. "We want a long-term relationship."

Back in 2011, Barnes and his wife Tonya were having fried fish for dinner. He never imaged that simple meal would turn into his dream.

"My wife had fried some fish and told me to come make a sandwich," Barnes remembers from that night. "So, I made a hoagie."

When he bit into his creation, one thought popped into his head -- "This will sell."

This first Zoagie wasn't fully deep-fried, only the meats Barnes piled inside the fresh, hoagie roll. Deep-frying the roll came later, after a stint at a farmers market.

After he put together that first sandwich, Barnes began making Zoagies -- the name comes from the "Z" in his childhood nickname, Zoke -- in his backyard with just a small fryer for his family and friends.

Today, thanks to word-of-mouth and a strong internet presence, the Zoagie's popularity is growing throughout South Jersey and Delaware, and now Barnes has a permanent, seven-day-a-week spot at the Pennsville Sunoco.

In the beginning, Barnes offered fish Zoagies to anyone who'd try them.

"I started driving up and down the block on my bike giving them out for free," Barnes said. "Then I started selling them for $5."

Word began to spread, and Barnes knew he was doing something unlike any other sandwich maker in the area.

In May 2012, Barnes applied for the official licensing to become a business, was helped by a friend to obtain his food trailer at a discounted price, and has been selling Zoagies to happy customers ever since.

The Zoagie's defining characteristic, a fried roll, stemmed from customer demands.

"I was set up at an Amish Market, and people kept asking if the entire hoagie was deep-fried," Barnes said. "When I said, 'No, just what's inside,' I saw the disappointment in their faces. I knew then I had to do it, and that was my 'Wow' factor."

Though more excitement may come from Barnes' demeanor inside his food trailer.

Ezell Barnes prepares a Zhrimp Zaco Wrap, his take of a Shrimp Taco Wrap, out of his Zoagie food truck at the Pennsville Sunoco, Monday, Jan. 16, 2017. A Zoagie is a fried hoagie. (Tim Hawk | For NJ.com)

Barnes sings about his business and his products, and greeting clientele with the Zoagie jingle.

"I've been working here for about a year," said Jade Yorker, Barnes' right-hand man. "There's no other man like the Zoagie man."

And, if you want to fit in, put a "Z" in front of everything at Zoagies. The menu actually reads "zish, zhicken, and zhrimp," among other "zelicious" dishes.

The Zoagie phenomenon also includes a "No Dough" option featuring fresh, marinated, hand-breaded meats with no bread.

"For those looking for a healthy option, the meats can be grilled instead of fried," Barnes said.

And don't forget dessert -- fried Oreos, funnel cake and funnel PB&J.

Beyond a profit, Barnes wants to inspire young people to follow their dreams.

"You can start something from scratch and make it happen," he said. "You just gotta believe with everything you have that it can happen."

The Zoagie food truck is located at 700 South Broadway in Pennsville, and is open seven days a week. Customers are encouraged to call ahead for orders at 267-693-8620. Follow Zoagies on Facebook and Instagram for videos and more.

Kelly Roncace may be reached at kroncace@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @kellyroncace. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.