Thief!!!
I kind of grew up eating lotus root, so I am not a good meter. However, I don’t think it is as popular as your waiter has told you. I doubt half of the Americans know about this root vegetable.
If you cook it in water (like braising), then it will be soft. However, if you pan fry it or stir fry it, then it will be crispy. In this sense, it won’t taste like potato.
Edited I think in this sense, you can think of it like carrot. Crispy/crunchy when it is raw. Soft and tender when braised.
