La Parma

I know a lot about Italian food, as I was raised in an Italian home and make my own sauce and other Sicilian and Southern Italian delights. I like to try Italian restaurants when I am not in the mood to cook, which brought me to La Parma on Willis Avenue. What a mistake !! Don’t let the friendly service fool you, the food tastes like it came out of a can. They use a really low grade of pasta, so that even when well-cooked it has the texture of macaroni that is undercooked. That is the sign of cheap ingredients, and a sure sign that you are in an establishment that is more intent on taking your money than serving you a quality dinner. The tomato sauce is so watered down you would think its a poorly made tomato soup worthy of a homeless kitchen, rather than the high-priced fare of elegant Italian dining. Further proof that the management of this place are thieves. The Bolognese meat sauce was more like Alpo with ketchup than a finely prepared braised beef with sauce. The old, filthy rug in the dining room worsens the indigestion brought on by this distasteful dining experience. Bottom line about this place is they should serve Alka Seltzer for dessert…free of charge !!! If I was starving, I would rather deal with the pangs of hunger than the displeasure of the food at this restaurant. AVOID at all costs !!!