SALEM – A Saugus man denied in court Monday that he robbed $400 from a Route 1 Burger King last winter at knife point.John Rosenthal, 61, of 1529 Broadway, Saugus, pleaded innocent in Salem Superior Court to a charge of armed robbery before Judge Timothy Q. Feeley.As jointly recommended by the prosecutor and defense, the judge agreed to set his bail at $500 and continued the case to Dec. 6 for a pre-trial conference.In the meantime, Rosenthal, who is facing a potential life sentence if convicted on the charge, remains free pending the outcome of his case.Assistant District Attorney Michael Sheehan told the judge that the case concerns the Jan. 11 hold-up at the Burger King on Route 1 in Saugus.Witnesses said a man wearing a black knit ski mask walked into the side entrance of the Burger King, located at 1449 Broadway, indicating he had a weapon and holding what appeared to be a black folding knife in his hand.The masked robber herded all the employees to a back area closet and ordered them to count to 200 before calling police as he fled the scene after stealing $400 in cash from three cash registers.The next day the restaurant’s manager saw the suspect, who walked with a limp, and reported it immediately to police.Rosenthal, who was living at the Avalon Motel in Saugus, was arrested.His defense lawyer, David Grimaldi, said his client “completely denies the allegation,” while insisting no proceeds or clothing that matched the described hold-up man was found by authorities in his client’s long term residential motel room.