The old shophouses lining the main street have been almost entirely converted into restaurants, bars, boutiques and art galleries, like a Lao version of New York's SoHo. Many of these places are owned by the still sizeable French expat community, and it really gives the town a very different feeling from most Asian cities. While I don't think Luang Prabang's sights can hold a visitor for long, the cafe culture is definitely worth exploring over a longer stay. The French food was quite good, although one defining feature of every restaurant we ate it in Luang Prabang is an extremely slow kitchen. I think the food is cooked in the owner's personal kitchen, since there was a minimum one hour wait between courses in every restaurant. But, when you're in Luang Prabang, there aren't a lot of other activities competing for your attention, so it's best to just sit back and relax.