Fast and furious? More like low-key with friends and family

IT’S taken 10 years and a name change, but Brian Tee is getting his break as co-lead of “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” which hits theaters Friday.

Back in the day, he was Brian Takata, trying out for a small role as a Korean character -- but the casting director rejected him because the half-Korean actor had a Japanese surname. “I went right home and changed my name,” Tee says. “Parts for Asians are hard enough to get, and if Tee, which sounds kind of generically Asian, helps me get roles, so be it.”

But that’s ancient history. The single, 29-year-old L.A. resident is looking ahead now, and he’s planned a weekend that fits him, well, to a T.

Fishing for food

I want something low-key and unpretentious on a Friday, so I’d go to one of my favorite restaurants, Noshi Sushi. It’s in the Koreatown area, and it doesn’t have much atmosphere -- it’s cash only, they won’t seat you until all your party is there and they don’t cater to children. Some people refer to it as Sushi Nazi, after the “Seinfeld” soup place. But it’s all about the food, and that’s great. I get the sashimi combo, which is whatever the chef decides it’s going to be. But whatever he throws on the plate is always fantastic.

After that, I’ll see a movie in the neighborhood and then maybe go to the Belmont for drinks. The crowd is friendly, the staff is great and they play music at night. It’s always packed with interesting people.

Fire and water

On Saturday morning it’s all about family, because I’m taking care of my grandmother right now. She doesn’t get out much, so I like to take her to breakfast at the Four Seasons or the Beverly Hills Hotel. Then we do her favorite thing: food shopping at a Korean market. She likes the Galleria off Olympic and Western, the Plaza Market or the Assi. I’m trying to watch my figure, so she tries to conjure up new Korean creations that will fit in with my diet.

After that, I’ll head down to my friend’s house in Huntington Beach, and we hang out and barbecue, and then maybe go to Main Street and the pier, where they have all these great shops. Later we’ll go to the beach and bodyboard, surf or throw the football around.

At night, I’d maybe have dinner at a new place, the Bridge on La Cienega, and then check out a band.

World walks by

On Sunday morning I’ll go with friends back to the Belmont for brunch. I’m really not that much of a drinker, but they have a great Bloody Mary bar. They give you a cup, ice and vodka, and then they have all these things to put into it. It’s fun. And the food is unbelievable -- the tuna tartare, the sesame seed tuna salad. After that, we’d find somewhere with a pool and just hang out. It may just be the pool at a friend’s apartment or someplace upscale like the Hollywood Roosevelt.

In the evening, we’ll go somewhere low-key like Toast, or just go to the Grove and people-watch. It’s one location where tourists from all over the world can mingle with celebrities and not be weird about it.

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-- Mark Sachs