Barbeque Smackdown: Ribs USA vs. Dr.Hogly Wogly's

Other than South LA, the San Fernando Valley seems to have the most barbeque joints in the Los Angeles area. Today we're going to pit one place's ribs against the other. Mind you, we are not looking for the best ribs in the Valley. I wouldn't back either of these up as the best.

First, Ribs USA. They don't claim any state affiliation, with menu items from Tennessee, New Orleans and beyond. Ribs USA for the most part is a let-down. They put BBQ sauce in their mac and cheese which is a crime against nature. Their catfish isn't too bad, though. But we are here only to check out the ribs. They do one thing amazingly well. Big, meaty, heavy sauced beef ribs. Points off for not removing the silver skin, but that may be the only thing holding the meat together, which falls apart like brisket. They may appear burnt, but it's just a flavorful char.

Dr. Hogly Wogly's proudly flies the Texas banner. The out-of-date decor is kind of charming, as are the old-fashioned truck stop friendly waitresses. But their side dishes fare poorly. The beans in particular are so sweet they could be dessert. The thing to do here is pick up brisket to go and buy your sides somewhere else. But also check out the pork ribs. They could use a little more cooking to make them really fall apart, but they are still tender, succulent, and have a nice smoke ring. The sauce is light and not too sweet with just a bit of heat.

Ribs USA's beef ribs vs, Dr Hogly Wogly's pork ribs. Who comes out on top?