Sorry Ironbutt but if you know where to go there are heaps of fantastic cheap restaurants in Abu Dhabi. Foodland for Indian, 49ers for a steak (and other assorted dark meats if thats your thing), Il Pallazo at the Ally Pally for great inexpensive Italian food, The Wok for asian and all the booze you can drink included, good old Chillis for a burger and other southern stuff, and I could go on, Heroes for a really good pub meal as well.
i'll have to disagree with airnoservicesaustralia on prettiness of abu dhabi more than anywhere else in the sandpit. muscat and salalah are far prettier.
Sorry Brassplate what I said was,
The Corniche area is from what I have seen by far the best public space anywhere in the Gulf, and definately isn't ugly.
I agree that Muscat is more naturally beautiful than Abu Dhabi (haven't been to Salalah but all reports back you up). What I said was that the new Corniche area in Abu Dhabi with all the parks and cycle/running paths, and fountains etc. is the best open public space anywhere I have seen in the Gulf.