Shimano brifters don't give you much control over the front derailluer. My solution is to use an Ultegra brifter with XT rear derailleur, and then a bar-end shifter with the Ultegra front derailleur. The bar end gives a full range of adjustability and control. Unfortunately, if you don't have extra parts lying around like I did then this may mean buying two sets of shifters, which becomes expensive. Alternatively, single brifters are occasionally sold on ebay.
EDIT: Also, if you use a bar end for front shifting, then you can use a V-brake compatible lever on the left side, meaning that you won't need a travel agent for the brake that lever is controlling (normally the front brake). Cane Creek and Tektro make a more comfortable and modern drop-bar V-brake lever than Dia Compe's more classic lever.