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In a dimly lit Tokyo pub, between hand-labelled bottles of "shochu" liquor and rickety wooden benches, Kunihiko Saiki serves up kingfish and snapper sashimi, tender squid tentacles and deep-fried tofu.

Around the corner, in a plain little basement bar, chef Nobuhiro Ando quietly prepares small portions of salt-grilled prawn and julienne potatoes with spicy cod roe.

While gourmet guides such as the Michelin are spreading Tokyo's reputation as one of the world's culinary capitals, a new book explores the lesser-known corners of the food scene here: "izakaya" pubs, which produce a dazzling array of small dishes in tiny, cramped kitchens.

Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook celebrates these unlikely foodie haunts and their cuisine, combining shochu-soaked anecdotes and pen portraits of izakaya chefs with recipes for tasty snacks and appetizers.

"Casual and small-plate dining is really taking off," author Mark Robinson said over a plate of tofu at Mr. Saiki's eponymous pub in Ebisu, a lively Tokyo neighbourhood. "Izakaya food is a part of that: a new way of eating and sharing, of expressing yourself through what you order."

Mr. Robinson, an Australian-Japanese journalist, has lived and eaten in Japan since the 1980s.

Between bites of squid and sashimi, interrupted by raucous laughter and banter from fellow diners at the counter, he lists what he loves about Japanese pubs: the informal atmosphere, the izakaya master's personal touch; the fresh, seasonal dishes.

Izakaya food fits into a global trend toward fine dining in a casual, late-night setting. More varied than standard gastro pub fare, cheaper than sushi at a restaurant, the small dishes served in Tokyo's pubs take punters on a little tour of Japanese cuisine.

To survive, izakaya masters have to economize on space - many bars consist of a counter, a closet-sized kitchen and a dozen seats, with diners huddling together under a low ceiling.

The chefs are also extremely shrewd in the way they choose and prepare their ingredients, letting not a single scrap go to waste while preparing superb dishes that will entice customers to come back for more.