May Chaleoy, who co-founded a popular Thai restaurant in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood, said she hopes to open May’s Kitchen on Vashon in February.

Chaleoy has all her permits in place — including a liquor license — but is not quite ready to open the doors to her new establishment, located at the former site of Heather’s Homegrown Café.

“I don’t want to be disappointing people when I open. … That’s why it takes a long, long time,” she said.

Chaleoy, a native of Thailand who came to the United States 16 years ago as an international student, co-owned a bustling eatery in Wallingford called May. The restaurant was popular, named one of Seattle’s 10 best restaurants by Seattle Magazine in 2008.

She said she knows many Islanders are eager to see her new restaurant open, but she said it’s important to her that she has everything in place.

“We’re trying to do something special,” she said.