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PETER R. BARBER Seafood 410 with lobster, white rice, scallops, shrimp, and asparagus at Max410 at Water's Edge on Freemans Bridge Road in Glenville Friday, October 18, 2024.
PETER R. BARBER Seafood 410 with lobster, white rice, scallops, shrimp, and asparagus at Max410 at Water's Edge on Freemans Bridge Road in Glenville Friday, October 18, 2024.
GLENVILLE — It’s been nearly two years since Mike Fortin moved his Max410 restaurant from the Van Schaick Island Country Club in his hometown of Cohoes to the former Lighthouse at The Waters Edge establishment in Glenville.
All told, between revamping his menu and solidifying a staff, the 47-year-old Fortin said the transition has been smooth — and things are only getting better.
“It’s everything I expected it to be,” he said. “Year one had its challenges — we had our struggles in the early months — but once we got our feet under us and hit the ground running, we’ve been, I think, gaining steam ever since.”
Max410 at The Waters Edge (a play on the Fortin name and tribute to his 7-year-old son, Max) boasts a menu as impressive as its scenic view of the Mohawk River and as diverse as its growing customer base.
The establishment, which moved to Glenville in February 2023, is known for its fine-dining experience and emphasis on seafood and steak, but its menu also includes braised short rib, chicken artichoke sandwiches and classic tavern fare such as fish 'n' chips and chicken wings.
“I do try to take classics and put a little bit of a twist on things, but it’s just straightforward,” said Fortin, who doubles as the restaurant's executive chef. “Give me the good ingredients and let me highlight the flavors that they have in very easy, simple ways where you’re going to taste exactly what it is that you’re eating.”
The most popular dish on the menu is the seafood 410, which features a butter-poached Maine lobster tail, sea scallops and jumbo shrimp over a bed of jasmine rice with lobster cream, lemon butter sauce and asparagus.
Seafood risotto and the assortment of steaks that are all hand-cut in-house are also popular.
“People come here and enjoy a sandwich, too,” Fortin said. “It’s not just higher dining. You can come here on a Tuesday night and get in and out with a relatively low bill.”
For chef Eric Bolton, menu variety, good ingredients and passion set Max410 apart.
“It’s made with love,” he said. “It’s not a chain. It’s not frozen food. It’s made from scratch.”
Bolton has worked at the restaurant for more than a year and recently began contributing items of his own creation to the menu as Fortin dives deeper into growing the business. His pork osso bucco — a pork shank featuring roasted root vegetable hash and bacon jam — has been a hit.
“I like to cook what I like to eat and what’s comforting to me,” Bolton said.
For Sue Caulfield, Max410 stands out because of the dining experience and professional staff.
Caulfield is the restaurant’s office manager, a title she held for 15 years when the establishment was the Lighthouse. The revamped experience, she said, is like nothing she’s seen in the Capital Region.
“I think we’ve established a new customer base because of the menu, and I think the other thing we offer is exceptional service,” she said.
Fortin found his way to the restaurant business after graduating from Siena College in 1999 with a degree in marketing. He moved to Atlanta in search of work but found himself working the front of the house in restaurants and turning down positions from marketing firms.
He eventually took a job as a manager at an Olive Garden in hopes of putting his degree to use, but —with no experience — soon volunteered to work the kitchen. There, he fell in love with the business.
“The restaurant got in my blood and I just never got out of the business,” Fortin said.
He eventually moved back to the Capital Region and took jobs working in restaurants — including a stint at Lighthouse at The Waters Edge — before opening Joe’s Tavern in Cohoes.
“I worked here for four years, up until I opened my first restaurant,” he said. “That’s when I really went out on my own and was like, ‘OK, everybody says I can cook, let’s see if I can really cook.’”
He’s since gone on to open Max410 and the Clifton Park establishment Emma Jayne’s Restaurant, named after his daughter.
On a recent weekday afternoon a crowd of roughly two dozen filled tables spread across the dining room that features high ceilings and river views. Toward the rear, a spacious bar area included several high-top tables and flat-screen TVs playing sports highlights.
Fortin said he’s trying to strike a balance between fine dining for special events and those just looking to enjoy a good meal. The restaurant has recently begun serving brunch on weekends and rolled out seasonal events to appeal to a wider audience.
“We want you to come here and celebrate your 50th anniversary, but we want you to feel just as comfortable coming here after a Little League game with your kids, and sitting down and getting a burger and fries,” Fortin said.
The restaurant has a seating capacity of roughly 135, which expands to around 280 when the patio is open during the summer months. The establishment’s cabana bumps the capacity up to 400, Fortin said.
Reservations are encouraged, especially on weekends, but walk-ins are welcome.
“We’re not just fancy dining,” he said. “We have fun.”
Max410 at The Waters Edge
Address: 2 Freemans Bridge Rd, Glenville
Year established: 2023
Owner: Mike Fortin
Chef: Mike Fortin and Eric Bolton
Description: American
Most popular dish: Seafood 410, butter-poached Maine lobster tail, sea scallops and jumbo shrimp over a bed of jasmine rice with lobster cream, lemon butter sauce and asparagus.
PETER R. BARBER Seafood 410 with lobster, white rice, scallops, shrimp, and asparagus at Max410 at Water's Edge on Freemans Bridge Road in Glenville Friday, October 18, 2024.
