Limon reopens in S.F., minus chef Piqueras

When I visited Limon in the Mission District last week, I didn't realize that the previous chef Emmanuel Piqueras, who had also worked at the three-star Arzak in Spain, had left the kitchen.

Yet when the first dish arrived, it became evident. The trio of ceviches ($18) lacked the nuance and splashy presentation it did when the restaurant reopened a little more than a year ago, after a 16-month hiatus due to fire.

Then I saw on the menu that Piqueras had been replaced by Alex Reccio. Of course, chef/owner Martin Castillo has been a constant, but it seemed to be Piqueras who had raised the presentations and curated some of the most interesting dishes.

The whole baby octopus ($12) is a good example. When I enjoyed the dish about a year ago it was a triptych of seafood that was poached and grilled, arranged upright and surrounded by bright squares of piquillo peppers, splashes of olive and cilantro oils and Botija olive foam. On this visit, whole baby octopus were plopped on a puddle of mashed potatoes ringed with a green oil. It didn't look appealing, and the seafood was tough.

Other dishes were better, but artful details were missing. On the trio of ceviches the waiter failed to mention that the ceviche Limon, with fish, calamari and shrimp, and the snapper ceviche had the same marinade. The sushi-grade tuna, in a soy sauce-infused leche de tigre with bits of mushrooms and sesame seeds, looked a little worse for wear but the flavors were good.

I've always been a fan of Limon's marinated chicken thighs ($9) with salsa criollo. This time the meat was as bronzed, crisped and delicious as I remember, but the dipping sauce had an acidic kick and added little.

The quinoa salad ($10) was pleasant, flecked with carrots, zucchini and mushrooms and made like a risotto. It was molded into a timbale surrounded by bland red pepper sauce and crisp sweet potato chips on top. The pastry on the vegetarian empanada ($8) was expertly made, but the filling of mushrooms and spinach was dessert-sweet, another indication that things were a bit off in the kitchen.

On this visit I concentrated on appetizers because they seemed more interesting than the half dozen main courses - pork chop over cabbage bacon hash ($21);, lomo saltado ($20), the classic Peruvian dish with beef soy sauce and french fries ($20); and a roast chicken breast with mashed potatoes and red wine demi glace ($19). I ordered the Peruvian-style paella ($20) with scallops and mussels and a soupy pimiento sauce, which was fine but not anything I would rush back for.

However, desserts fared well, including profiteroles ($7.50) filled with pastry cream and a Lucuma anglaise with caramel and chopped pecans; and a mango panna cotta ($7) served with blueberries and strawberries and a berry sorbet.

The waiters know their business, but I quickly tired of ours checking back too often and upselling. When we asked for water with ice, the server asked if he should bring a bottle of Pellegrino. We replied that tap water would be fine. Then when we ordered dessert he seemed almost offended that we didn't take him up on the offer of coffee.

On the other hand, the staff can also be accommodating. Our server talked us into the sangria, saying it was very popular, but when it arrived it was too sweet for my taste. We asked if he could take back the carafe and charge us for the two glasses. At the end of the meal he removed the sangria from the check, a nice but unnecessary gesture.

He also held our box of leftover paella at the back, bringing it out when we were ready to go. It didn't take us long to clear out. A big party was dining next to us, and along with the regular ambient noise it made a bomb rating seem quiet. It was nearly impossible to hear. With its modern two-story interior that includes an open kitchen and mezzanine and lots of hard surfaces, there's little to absorb the sound. However, it's generally quieter in front and upstairs.

I can always put up with noise when the food is good. Unfortunately, some dishes I enjoyed a year ago have lost an edge. Some are still very good, but now Limon doesn't distinguish itself much from other places in the Bay Area.

Michael Bauer is The Chronicle's restaurant critic. E-mail him at mbauer@sfchronicle.com, and go to sfgate.com/food to read his previous reviews. Find his blog daily at insidescoopsf.com, and follow him on Twitter at @michaelbauer1.

This article appeared on page E - 2 of the San Francisco Chronicle