Ozumo goes izakaya style in Santana Row

New location features small plates, Japanese beer garden

San Francisco’s upscale Japanese waterfront restaurant, Ozumo, has officially opened its second location along San Jose’s Santana Row. The restaurant, which specializes in izakaya-style food and drink, is located in the space next to the Hotel Valencia.

We visited recently to take in the scene, which included limousine sightings and designer puppies in designer purses, and nibble on savory small bites. Here are our first impressions of the new Ozumo.

VIBE » Get your drink on, because the central bar, outdoor covered beer garden and cozy booths are designed for tucking into the menu’s comprehensive list of Japanese whiskey, topflight sake, beer, wine and cocktails. White-tiled walls, blond wood tables and sleek black chairs add to the upscale minimalist look.

FOOD » Straight-up izakaya. Think two-bite yakitori skewers ($5-$26), piping hot Japanese-style fried chicken ($9), bigeye tuna tataki with grated daikon radish and garlic chips ($14) and the classic savory fried pancake, okonomiyaki, made with cabbage, onion and bean sprouts and served with umami-packed okono sauce and Kewpie mayo ($11).

Looking for something a little different? Deep-fried

sweet corn fritters ($9) are delightfully crunchy and pack a flavorful punch from seaweed salt and warm yuzu-laced dipping sauce.

The sushi menu is not as robust as the one at Ozumo

San Francisco, though you can count on 15 nigiri and sashimi options ($6-$18 for the nigiri, $12-$30 for the sashimi) and nine simple rolls, such as the Ozumo 2.0, with salmon, mango, cucumber, jalapeno and a mango-yuzu sauce ($14).

DON’T MISS » Imported sake (3 ounces, $8-$15), craft cocktails ($10-$14) and the Okinawan-style fried cake doughnuts ($4) and chewy chocolate mochi cake ($4) for dessert.

DETAILS » Open from 11:30 a.m. daily at 355 Santana Row, Suite 1010, San Jose; www.ozumosantanarow.com.

PHOTOS BY DAI SUGANO — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Manny Gutierrez of San Jose, right, and his wife, Araceli, relax with their 6-month-old son, Matias, not pictured, at Ozumo, a Japanese izakaya restaurant in San Jose’s Santana Row.

Mixed yakitori chicken and mushroom skewers are among the izakaya-style dishes served at Ozumo in San Jose.

The Ozumo 2.0 makimono roll is made with salmon, mango, cucumber, jalapeno and a mango-yuzu sauce.

Ozumo’s Giddy Geisha cocktail combines vodka, lychee juice and passionfruit puree.