I do, however, use a server-side include (php) to insert the html text-only nav list into the appropriate location on the page.
I use this approach a lot.
At first the CSS side of things can seem a bit daunting, but it's well worth it. For the viewer it keeps things simple and helps to goof proof. Plus, SEO friendliness cannot be over estimated.
In my opinion, less is more. But less doesn't necessarily have to come across as overly simple.