Table Talk:

The term "no-tip restaurant"- which is what people are attaching to the new Girard in Fishtown - is a bit of a misnomer, say owners Brian Oliveira and Cristian Mora.

"It isn't that we are banning tipping," says Mora, who met Oliveira, a chef, last year while both worked at Parc on Rittenhouse Square. "We're not putting it on the guest to pay our staff's salary. We are paying their salary. If [customers] go above and beyond and want to leave a true gratuity . . . by all means."

The French BYOB (300 E. Girard Ave., 267-457-2486) pays workers an average of $13 an hour, plus full health care, vacation, profit-sharing, and sick pay.

"We think we'll attract workers who want more stability and quality of life," Oliveira said. "It's not so much about going into 'beast mode' and killing it 90 hours a week."

Girard, which serves lunch/brunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, was designed by Joshua Otto of Otto Architects, who went dramatic with a bright room splashed with black, white and yellow, accented with wood-topped tables and white retro chairs. At its 7:30 a.m. opening, coffee and grab-and-go items are available at the coffee bar that takes up a portion of the kitchen counter.

Oliveira and Mora had a skinny beverage cart built to roll through the dining room bearing mixers, shakers, and the like. Menu leans toward fixed-price options, such as the $23 brunch, $31 lunch and dinner, and the $42 roti du jour ($31 on Wednesday, when it is vegetarian).

Du Jour, the cafe that opened in 2000 in Haverford Square, will close after brunch Sunday and will be renovated as a White Dog Cafe. Plan is to reopen in late February.

Four owners from four Latin lands - Cuba, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic - are running Latin Flavor, a built-for-speed, cafeteria-style restaurant at 627 South St. (267-519-2027), whose previous occupants include Baklava Cafe and Gaja Gaja. Menu includes assorted platters (under $11) and sandwiches.

Suburban Station now has Milkhouse (next to Track 1, Section A), a specialist in panini-pressed grilled cheese sandwiches, fries, and shakes made with ice cream from Doylestown's Sweet Pea. Gluten-free versions are available.

Local Market and Cafe (714 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, 856-858-0360) has set up in the former Woolworth's store selling foods to go or eat-in and offering a coffee bar, deli, butcher, bakery, and grocery sections.

DAVIDsTEA opened its first regional store at the King of Prussia Mall.

Jake's Sandwich Board has opened its University City outpost at 125 S. 40th St.

Jose Garces has opened the lounge beneath Rosa Blanca (707 Chestnut St.).

Terence Feury has stepped out of the day-to-day chef's role at Tavro 13 in Swedesboro, as he's consulting at the Whip Tavern in Chester County. Pat Limani, a Lacroix veteran who has been at Tavro 13 since day one, is chef. Feury also is developing a restaurant of his own in Chester County and is selling pickled/fermented products in farmer's markets as Runcible Spoon.

Samantha Orskog has been promoted to head chef at Friday Saturday Sunday in Rittenhouse - the institution's first female chef in its 41 years? Why so long? "Good question," said owner Weaver Lilley. "We've had a lot of female bakers and line cooks. But we don't turn over head chefs too often and most of the women move on before putting in their time. She's a superstar." And, it should be noted, a vegan.

Colin Mason, whose resume includes Fork, Nectar, Susanna Foo, and Kanella, has landed as executive chef at Sola, Brian Engler's BYOB in Bryn Mawr.