Asked the concierge for a restaurant that's "nothing fancy" and within walking distance of the Sheraton Mofarrej and this is what I got: a family-oriented Italian restaurant writ large.
It was perfect for me, because not only was the waiter going for low-visibility (which meant he never bothered me), but there were always a few tables empty, so I could sit as long as I liked and read my book without feeling like I had to scoot.
The restaurant had those wine jugs with the straw baskets woven on the bottom as decoration, with the red and white checked tablecloths. You know what I'm talking about. The menu kept with the theme - big, family style portions of heavy pasta dishes, huge meatballs, generous servings of entrees. The food wasn't anything to rave about, but it was a good deal for what it was: nothing fancy and close by, where I could order wine by the glass and let my pasta digest for a while before ordering a canoli and espresso for dessert.