Dining out at Neil Perry’s newest restaurant, Margaret

Pallas Capital’s launch of its new development in Double Bay included a stunning multi-course dinner at Neil Perry’s latest restaurant, Margaret.

Neil Perry.

Sydney eastern suburbs property developer Danny Avidan, who has just knocked back $14m for the penthouse in his Kalypso development in Tamarama, was one of hundreds of guests treated to truffle toasties, freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters, to white sturgeon caviar tarts at Pallas Capital’s launch of its new Pallas House development in Double Bay.

Guests including Avidan, his fashion designer wife Charlie Brown, and Woollahra mayor Susan Wynne were then treated to a stunning multi-course dinner at a soft launch of Neil Perry’s newest restaurant, Margaret. Headed by executive chairman Patrick Keenan, Pallas Capital’s new Bay St office premises, which have been fully leased out, include a cosy cigar room and fireplace with harbour views.

Patrick Keenan and Susan Wynne.

Meanwhile Avidan, chief executive of Dare Property Group, says he is holding out for $16m for the penthouse with interiors by Melbourne’s MIM Design. The penthouse is one of 11 apartments on the site overlooking the surrounding beaches.

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Ray White chair heads south

Ray White chairman Brian White clearly likes the Sydney life and is happily domiciled in his Wolseley Rd, Point Piper waterfront mansion in the city’s eastern suburbs, leading him to list his 1930s Queensland Federation house in the Brisbane suburb of Ascot. “My sons now run the company, so my need to be in Brisbane has reduced dramatically and I feel guilty about not using it properly,” White said. “It’s a great family home. It’s one of those homes that should be lived in.” The Queenslander fronts 32 Sutherland Ave and sports a 37m street frontage and 3035sq m of land. It has four bedrooms, separate maid’s quarters, three bathrooms as well as formal and informal living and dining areas. The house features a marble entrance, ornate internal columns and fireplaces. A championship-sized tennis court dominates the front yard of the estate, while there is also a 12.5m swimming pool. Apart from their harbourside mansion in Sydney, the Whites also own a beach house in Noosa. Sutherland Ave’s other famous owners include Kerri Craig, and Swissport vice-president Glenn Rutherford, who bought the former home of Domino’s Pizza chief executive Don Meij. The record sale price for Ascot was broken last year when “Windermere”, at 14 Sutherland Ave, fetched $13.14m. Ray White New Farm principal Matt Lancashire is marketing the Whites property with Dwight Ferguson. The property will be auctioned on July 17. Ray White is on track to sell more than $75bn worth of property through its 1000-plus offices this year.

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Neil casts off from Pyrmont

Yachtie and founder of the NSC Group, Craig Neil, has listed his waterfront penthouse in Sydney’s inner Pyrmont with a $6.2m guide. The three-bedroom and three-bathroom property at 56 Pirrama Rd is being marketed by McGrath Pyrmont agent Jack Sou. It has a shared pool, concierge and two side-by-side car spaces. Neil paid $3.26m for the three-level penthouse, which has views of Barangaroo, in 2008. Neil sold his NSC Group for about $100m to Telstra in 2013.