A pot of burning charcoal lands on the table, beside bo la lop nuong than (skewers of betel leaf-wrapped grilled beef) and dry sheets of ricepaper. The host spots first-timers and gives master-classes in rehydrating ricepaper. Then it’s DIY fun, filling them from big platters of salad and herbs. Hai Au is a bustling mini Hanoi with gaudy decor where families gather for congee, steamboat, claypot rice, stir-fries and smoky grills. Big spenders target mud crab or lobster, but sugarcane prawns are deliciously affordable. On weekends it’s all about barbecue, especially the signature organic grilled chicken with sticky rice.