I think this chart is wrong for SF Bay BBQ which has been heavily influenced by both KC and the Carolinas, less so Texas. The older and mostly white places do a sweet, smokey, mild version probably using mustard, vinegar, molasses. The black places seem to divide equally between a better verion of the mild, and a throat ripping hot, mostly on pork or beef. In addition are a great variety of asian based bbqs: Thai, Vietnamese, and Korean. These also vary on the sweet to hot spectrum, with asian spices, ginger, rice vinegar, sugar, and heavy doses of garlic.
For the Mexican and southwest flavors, also divide on the mild to hot with chile bases, most the dried, ground powers. What makes a real difference in all these places is the wood or fire they use. There is no thing like Pinion pine used on chile based bbqs to evoke the southwest and native american flavors. The asians seem to use burned sugar techniques or charcole to sort of simulate the richer flavored woods and are used a lot on sea food bbqs.
My favorite is a japanese marinaide with green onions, for bbq'd salmon steaks, served with rice. Or next up favorite is a combo plate pork ribs, hot links, hot bbq, and potato salad. E&J down on San Pablo used to have the best version of this. I think Flint's closed down almost ten years ago and I think E&J died off too.
Then there are a few places that offer the near eastern bbq verison with lamb or chicken with tomatos, onions, and peppers--kabobs. I am looking forward to a local kabob war. Lamb tastes like shit in most dishes, but is wonderful as burnt meat offerings to old Jahwa...
CG