A vibrant London restaurant family serving buttery black cod, heaps of noodles and mirror glossy desserts complete with an impressive GF range.

You might already be aware of this Pan – Asian restaurant chain that’s dotted around between Chelsea and Mayfair.

They have a fresh, light and airy interior, resembling beach bars with driftwood colours, green plants and plenty of light.

For dishes ULI draws from Chinese, Thai, Malay and Singaporean classics. And the name well, two go by ULI and two by HUŌ.

I’d heard of HUŌ for years, but I was never aware of its name. I just knew it as the restaurant my friend from Chelsea frequently visited.

Religiously like a gym, he was there almost every Sunday for a solo dinner. He was so frequent the staff knew him by name and he loved that spot till he moved out of Chelsea.

Perhaps you’re like me — familiar with it, but not by name. Either way, it deserves a spot on your must-visit list.

I’m attending with a different friend — not the one from Chelsea, but someone who recently discovered they’re gluten intolerant.

And I will admit when I found out, I momentarily questioned my guest selection — but ULI proved more than equal to the task.

The staff are more than prepared — so much so that there’s a separate menu entirely. Perhaps it’s to spare gluten-free guests the temptation of the wheat-filled dishes… or maybe it’s just thoughtful planning.

What I do know is that the gluten-free menu is impressively extensive — in fact, more than half of the dishes make the cut.

So we get picking as we sip on our cocktails, which are absolutely stunning. Strawberry Margarita is a thing of beauty.

I tend to approach cocktails in Asian restaurants with caution — too often they’re overwhelmed by synthetic syrups and excessive sweetness.

At ULI,  the strawberry tastes genuinely fresh, as if the berries were pureed and shaken with tequila and bright lime just now.

Perfectly balanced and distinctively floral, it sets the tone as we sip and bite on our starters. My sesame prawns are crisp and light, with just the right amount of oil.

For my guest it’s crisp calamari, it’s gluten free option but there is no way we could tell if we weren’t told.

Crisp coating, just a bit of oil to make them guilty pleasures with perfectly tender inside.

The portion is enough to share or as a main even as my guest jokes. To follow are even more generous and humble mains served by an equally humble member of staff.

A large comforting plate heaped with Singapore vermicelli noodles, it’s a gluten free dish too.  The vermicelli come mixed with juicy chunks of chicken and jumbo prawns.

A garlic morning glory for something green to share although on this occasion it has lost its bright green colour, indicating perhaps it spent a bit too much time cooking.

And for myself, I go with the pan-fried teriyaki black cod with asparagus. Ordering black cod — or sablefish, as it’s sometimes called — has become a little tradition of mine whenever I spot it on a menu.

Despite the name, black cod isn’t actually a true cod, it belongs to a completely different family, and its rich, buttery texture is what got it its name as I explain to my guest who is amazed by the portion, we both are to be honest.

This version is a departure from the usual miso glaze. It comes coated in a delicate thin batter and smothered in copious amount of teriyaki, with that flaky texture I love.

A bowl of rice would have been the perfect companion – if only I’d known, eggs noodles are less so but on their own they are an excellent dish.

Since outside it’s nothing but rain and shades of grey and white, and inside it’s positively warm and vibrant, we decide to extend our stay and indulge in desserts.

The sweets section is short but varied enough ice cream mochi, along yuzu of course and GF chocolate coolant. Glossy like a mirror, rich and dark, it practically melts on the tongue — the kind of dessert we happily linger over while the London storm rages outside.

Like the generously diverse menu the chefs don’t cut on the portions, three course is a struggle even with half of the mains in the take away boxes so make sure to come hungry. Everything else ULI and HUŌ will provide.

Limited-edition special menu menu inspired by the Year of the Horse is available at ULI and HUŌ to celebrate Lunar Chinese New Year.

ULI, 15 Seymour Pl, London W1H 5BE