There are two food subjects I will never argue about: pizza and barbecue.Pizza people are fanatical about thickness of crust, depth of sauce, correct proportion of cheese and whether or not the pizza tastes good cold.The barbecue argument has even more variables and can get even more heated. I maintain that everyone has their own formative barbecue experiences that shape their palate, and nobody should try to convert a sliced brisket die-hard into a pulled pork fan. But if asked to choose between ribs and chicken, ask for some of each. Open your mind when you open your mouth.I opened both when I visited Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. I’m always willing to try a new ‘cue joint, although I’m generally not impressed by giant chains that try to recreate regional flavors on a national scale. Dickey’s didn’t do much to change my mind, although the service was unfailingly friendly and helpful when I visited.The new Dickey’s here in town is tiny. If the weather outside is cold, get your order to go. Every time the door opens, the entire dining area is blasted with cold air. In fact, you might want to place your order to go anyway, since the wooden chairs are extremely uncomfortable with narrow, rounded backs. That means if you sport a caboose larger than your average super model, you’ll be forced to perch on the front half of the the seat instead of sitting back.And, frankly, the food isn’t worth torturing yourself for.When you step out of your car in front of a barbecue joint, you expect to smell the co-mingled aromas of woodsmoke and roasting meat. No such aroma at Dickey’s, and the attendant flavor is lacking as well. The exception was the turkey breast, an excellent combination of smoky flavor and moist meat. The chicken breast, flavored with a mild dry rub, had also absorbed enough smoke. The bad news: The meat was dry.Dry texture is the second major problem that plagues Dickey’s. Brisket, a fatty cut of meat typically cooked low and slow to tenderize it, was chewier and drier than it should have been. The pulled pork had a rich flavor but dry texture. Not to flog the obvious, but even the hot links were dry and mealy, although the skin had a crisp snap and the flavor was a good balance of pork and spice. (Meat plates run from $7.50 for 4 oz. of meat and two sides to $12 for a rib plate with two sides.)One pleasant surprise: The ribs were cooked perfectly. They’re fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy and sticky from the wet preparation. They do fall on the sweet side, although you can doctor them with the spicy sauce to reduce the sugary overload.

Speaking of sauces, you have three to choose from. The regular is nothing special, somewhat sweet with a slight, vinegary finish. The sweet sauce is sugary enough to make your teeth ache, with ketchup overtones. The spicy sauce isn’t really very spicy, but it has a more pronounced tang and a nice zip of heat that builds on the back of your tongue.Good barbecue joints are also judged by the quality of their side dishes. I think Dickey’s fares a little better here than with their mainstays. While the Barbecue Beans are like a tomato-flavored pork-and-beans  accented with their regular sauce, the Jalapeno Beans really sing. The sauce is more like a deep, rich gravy — not too spicy — that kept me coming back until I was scraping an empty bowl. The Coleslaw, cabbage and a wee bit of carrot in a lightly sweetened dressing, was a perfect foil for any of the meats on a sandwich. (Sandwiches are $4-$7.25, plus $3 to add two sides.)If you like your mac and cheese to be really thick and gooey (think melted Velveeta), you’ll be happy here. The green beans are cooked to a vicious submission, simmered to the edge of disintegration with tender bits of pork for flavor. But the best comfort food on the menu is the Baked Potato Casserole, which is rich, cheesy, smoky and flecked with bacon. The fried stuff (okra, waffle fries and Onion Tanglers) are all competently prepared. Although the okra is frozen and not prepared on-site, the breading is perfectly light and crisp around the fresh tasting coins of okra. But don’t bother with the Garden Salad ($6.75). You’ll get a pile of romaine lettuce with some green onions. I was asked if I wanted it with “everything,” and I specified everything except meat, since I was ordering it for a vegetarian. What I got was the pile of lettuce and onions topped with shredded cheddar and bacon. When did bacon become a vegetable?