The definitive answer on comfort vs performance is.....what works for you.

If you find the riding position too extreme on your roadie, then there are definitely things you can do to improve it. A tall stem and moustach bars, or trekking bars might be the answer, or even a tall stem and stay with the drops (but use the hoods). An adjustable stem will look ugly, but help you find what's right for you, and you could then replace it with something prettier (I guess if you've got $2000 in the bike, $20 to get it comfortable is not too much to ask). And yeah, try different seats. There are those that love Brooks more than anything.