I've been visiting a bunch of brunch places lately, most tending to be on the upscale side. But sometimes, this American finds herself in the mood for some greasy grub, the kind you'd find at a roadside diner in rural America: buttery pancakes, spicy sausage links, hot, fluffy scrambled eggs and salty home fries that are crisp on the outside and mealy on the inside.

I came to the aptly named Richard Copycat's All-American Diner with the anticipation of these flavors dancing on my tongue with a friend on a weekend morning. My friend had heard through the grapevine about the diner's delicious yet low-priced meals that were true to the indulgently unhealthy American spirit.

While the food was mostly good (more on that later), I must say that part of calling a restaurant a diner is creating the right interior. I expected a jukebox, vinyl-covered banquettes and retro-patterned Formica tabletops, but All-American Diner does not deliver in this sense.

The interior consists of three rather odd rooms. One appears to be an Astro Turf garden, which is set strangely away from the windows. This area also includes a bar ready with Guinness and the requisite domestic beers on tap. Another dining room is constructed to appear like a house, with warm lighting and upholstered seats. The third dining room, which overlooks Itaewon's main street, is similarly decorated.

Even so, I have to say Seoul's All-American Diner is spotless and quiet, without the ever-present sticky film on tables and silverware clatter that plagues diners back Stateside.

But the discrepancies between a real American diner and the All-American Diner stop here. When it comes to food, it's the same stuff that a hairnet-clad waitress named Flo would serve up on a chipped ceramic plate, and I mean that in the best way possible. Except that here, the waitress isn't a chain-smoker with a beehive; she'll likely be an obliging, perky Korean girl who will be unfailingly polite, and the plate will be brand new. Like a diner back home, this place maintains similar hours. For those hungry for some home-cooked food after a night out in Itaewon, All-American Diner can fill some stomachs until 2 a.m.

Even the prices here match their American counterparts, especially because of the discount the restaurant was offering due to its grand opening. My breakfast plate, which included two pancakes, hash browns, two strips of bacon, two sausage links and scrambled eggs, came for 8,900 won ($8.84), and my friend's meal, which included a waffle, cost only slightly more at around 12,000 won.

I don't know how All-American Diner seasons its scrambled eggs, but the end result is among the best I've ever had. They were flavorful and perfectly moist, with a lovely, light texture. The hash browns were crisp and hot, and tastier than your average fried potato treat. The meat offerings were of similar quality, and the pancakes were quite nice. The only disappointing menu item was the waffle, which was of the rubbery, Eggo variety, not like the hand-poured ones hot off the iron at say, The Waffle Factory in Itaewon.

Word on the street also says that All-American Diner's burgers are a new contender for the city's best. I personally dislike the lard-laden patties at Smokey's Saloon, so any variation from that would be a welcome addition to the culinary culture of Seoul. The restaurant also offers such classic fare as buffalo wings.

Bottom line, All-American Diner has mostly excellent dishes for good prices. And best of all, it's so new, you'll have no trouble getting a seat. Of course, that all may change as word spreads, so get a table while you still can.

All-American Diner
English: On menu, spoken
Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Phone: (02) 790-0411
Address: 3rd floor, 56-13 Itaewon, Yongsan District, Seoul
Parking: Available in nearby public lot

This article appeared on www.joongangdaily.joins.com