What to say about Lotus that hasn't already been said? Probably not much.
1. Location: Scary... Seriously. Don't bring your kids here after dark. Just about every other establishment in the strip-mall screams "stay away if you want to wake up with two kidneys tomorrow morning"
2. Food: This is why this place gets 5 stars. This is Thai food that you won't find anywhere else. The Northern Thai specialties lend themselves to some dishes that will take you for a ride. Be adventurous. In my experience asking the waitstaff will lead them to just recommend you the regular "safe" stuff, so just pick one yourself.
3. Drink: A thai place with a better wine selection than an upscale Italian restaurant? Sure, why not?
4. Service. Havent been too impressed here - but to their credit they are ALWAYS packed and have to deal with tourists all night (this place may once have been a "hidden" gem, but it has most decidedly been found by the tourist crowd now)
All in all, this place lives up to its great reputation. Try it out.