Strangely, I too am in exactly the same boat....

I ride a mid-90s MTB for everything, and like the OP I want to "go faster". I'm not an experienced tourer, but I don't want to buy a one dimensional bike that can't tour (won't take wider tires, fenders, rack, can't go on gravel).

At the same time, a hard core touring bike is optimized for self-supported touring in remote areas (reliable bar end shifters or clunky feeling MTB components, steel frame, maybe kinda slow) it's unlikely that I'm going to be doing that any time soon. I don't want to drop big $$ on a bike that will be barely faster than my MTB. The touring I do will mostly be in the credit card/SAG variety, within a taxi ride from a North American bike shop that can fix anything, and a lot of my riding will be unloaded day rides. I also like sexy performance features like fancyish road components, integrated shifters, aluminum frames, etc, which again are not optimal for reliable hardcore touring in the boonies but that's not my style (yet).

I'll probably never commute with it because Toronto is a hotbed of bike theft and my commute is short, fine for a ugly old bashed up MTB.

Some more critieria: triple crank is a must, and I don't like garish "racing" paint schemes, I much prefer an understated monochrome like the Cannondale T1. Hey, it's gotta look good too!

So I've been looking at Aluminum frame tourers like the Cannondale Touring 1. Also looking at the Trek Portland, "sport tourers" like Specialized Sequoia, and also looking at cyclocross bikes (although the latter make me uncomfortable... I have zero interest in any kind of racing and don't want to buy a bike optimized for something I will never do).

In general, touring bikes are EXTREMELY hard to find in shops (in Toronto!), especially in my size (I run towards a 60 or so), so I can't even ride one to make up my mind... I'd have to buy it sight unseen and hope I like it.

I guess it's time to stop reading bike forums and go ride some bikes