Lotus Grill & Bar opens in Bethesda

It's turning into a big week of openings around the Bethesda Row area. First, Prima opened Monday at Bethesda Row itself. Then Lotus Grill & Bar opened yesterday at 4929 Elm Street in the Shoppes of Bethesda. The restaurant combines traditional Indian cuisine with tacos and pizza on its menu.

Lotus Grill & Bar installs sign

The sign is up at Lotus Grill & Bar at 4929 Elm Street. Serving Indian cuisine, the soon-to-open restaurant also puts an Indian spin on tacos and pizza.

Meanwhile, the restaurant exterior can still remind longtime residents of previous tenants Noodles & Company and Ri-Ra. The latter was one of 16 Bethesda nightspots to close following the Montgomery County Council's disastrous "Nighttime Economy Task Force" initiative. That effort ended up tanking the County's nighttime economy.