What sandwich did Brian order in fast and furious?

This Friday marks the release of the eighth installment of the Fast & Furious films, the long-running, high-octane action franchise that revolves around Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his motley crew of street racers-turned-international-crime-fighters-who-are-also-kind-of-criminals. The films all have very similar and slightly confusing names, but this one, The Fate of the Furious, ups the ante with Charlize Theron as a mysterious cyber-terrorist with terrible hair, who “seduces Dom back into a world of crime that he can't seem to escape,” forcing the fast fam to “face trials that will test them as never before.” It also features a car jumping over a submarine. Exhibit A:

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I love the Fast Furious movies, despite the fact that I’ve never owned a car and generally avoid blow-’em-up action flicks. These films are patently ridiculous, with plot holes the size of Mars, clunky dialogue, and what can only be described as an alternate interpretation of space and time. Nevertheless, I see them all on opening night—the action sequences are increasingly impressive, the cast is one of the most multicultural on the silver screen, and, to my personal delight, food plays a pivotal role.

It starts in the very first installment, 2001’s The Fast and the Furious. We’re introduced to Dom and his little sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster), who run a beat-up lunch counter when they’re not drag racing through the streets of L.A. Undercover police officer Brian (Paul Walker), sent to investigate a string of truck robberies that Dom may or may not be involved in, is immediately distracted by Mia, who serves him tuna sandwiches on white bread with the crusts cut off. Despite warning Brian that “the tuna was crappy yesterday, it was crappy the day before, and it hasn’t changed,” these sandwiches set the stage for one of the most poignant and long-running romances in the franchise, which ended only with Walker’s untimely death in a real-life car accident in 2013. Lesson: all great relationships are built upon a foundation of tuna salad.

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Sandwiches aside, what the Torettos really do best is barbecue (as in, backyard cookout, not smoking meat). Early on in the The Fast and the Furious, we see how the power dynamics of the crew play out. Dom is the patriarch figure, demanding loyalty and teaching his underlings how to behave respectfully (the first one to reach for the chicken is forced to say grace). Beneath his hard-bitten exterior, he shows affection by hosting a bountiful al fresco meal in his backyard. The food isn’t fancy, but it is plentiful, and more important, there’s room at Dom’s table for all, provided they honor his code.

©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

Twelve years later, we return to Dom’s backyard in 2013’s Fast & Furious 6 for another barbecue that’s a throwback to the first film. Things have changed. Brian and Mia have a new baby, The Rock and several other new additions have joined the cast, and the family has inexplicably evolved from street racing to executing dramatic international heists. But some things have remained the same. When Roman (Tyrese Gibson) reaches for the food, Brian calls him out, “First bite! He’s got grace. House rules, man.” (For a statistical representation of number of hugs, mentions of “family” and “team,” and sips of Corona across all films, please refer to this excellent infographic.)

It remains to be seen whether The Fate of the Furious will feature food as prominently as some previous installments. But I certainly hope it does. Through these scenes, order is maintained in the otherwise extremely chaotic Fast Furious universe, familial bonds are created and reinforced, and the crew is provided for in the most fundamental of ways. They might not be blood, but this crew is fam.

Toretto's Market & Cafe[1] was a small grocery shop and cafe located in Los Angeles, California.

History

Toretto's Market & Cafe was owned and maintained by the Toretto family, specifically Mia and Dominic Toretto. During Brian O'Conner's time as an undercover cop in the collaborative LAPD and FBI operation that suspected Dominic, Brian spent the last three weeks staking the place out under the name Brian Earl Spliner. He ordered tuna sandwiches that were considered awful by those who frequented the market, including Mia, who suspected Brian's ulterior motives for visiting the market.[1]

It is assumed Mia still ran the market for a living while she continued to live in Los Angeles. However, it was presumably shut down or sold when she and Brian helped Dominic escape incarceration and subsequently fled Los Angeles. The market is never mentioned nor does it appear in any films following The Fast and the Furious.[1]

References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Fast and the Furious

1327 • Los Angeles • The Racer's Edge • Toretto's Market & Cafe • Baja • D•T Precision Auto Shop

Miami • Barstow • Tej's Garage

Tokyo • Car Park (Tokyo) • Han's Garage

Baja • Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic • 1327 • Los Angeles • Baja • Panama

Rio de Janeiro • Canary Islands • Tej's Garage

Moscow • Canary Islands • London • Los Angeles • 1327 • Tokyo

London • Los Angeles • 1327 • Dominican Republic • Tokyo • Car Park (Tokyo) • Mr. Nobody's Base • Caucasus Mountains • Abu Dhabi • Etihad Towers

Havana • Berlin • Mr. Nobody's Base • New York City • Toy Shop • Vladovin

Los Angeles • London • CIA London Black Site • Moscow • Eteon Headquarters • Samoa • Hobbs Customs

London • Tokyo • Edinburgh • Caspian Sea Bunker • Tbilisi • Hatfield House • Los Angeles • Cologne • 1327 • Montequinto • Otto's Base of Operations

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