Besides the tagliatelle, there are excellent rigatoni stuffed with chicken and wild mushrooms in a silky tomato-cream sauce, and delicate gnocchi in a tomato broth with calamari and shrimp. Underneath, a marinara sauce adds sweet and tart balance to the dish. Skewered lamb meatballs are firm and tasty, aggressively seasoned with rosemary. The only trouble is that the kitchen is aggressive on the salt as well. A sweet marsala wine sauce helped counteract the saltiness, but not enough.
Desserts are simple and nicely executed, and a bit on the rich side.
Skip the profiteroles, whose pastry is a bit overdense. Trattoria Parma is a good lunch destination for those in or near River North. It's easy to get to, and taxicabs are plentiful. The lunch menu includes smaller and less-expensive versions of the dinner dishes, plus a handful of sandwiches and salads. But those paper tablecloths, so thin they make butcher paper seem luxurious, have got to go.