If there is one thing that Dings are rightly proud of, it is their buses, which are plentiful, clean and modern (even if they could be more environmentally friendly). Of course, the No 17 route is the spine in the town centre, but as Reading is rumoured to be considered part of a larger local council encompassing, perhaps, Wokingham and even Bracknell, there is only one contender to be the transport backbone for the conurbation that is filling in all around us. Yes, it is the No 4 (or 4a) Lion that runs from Reading station, via Wokingham station and town centre, to Bracknell.

We moved to Reading to be close to our family in Wokingham (but couldn't face the commute into London from there). So, the 4 is a regular journey for us.

However, even though it takes in a number of would be suburbs from Earley (taking in Lower Earley, of course) plus Winnersh, there are precious few places to venture out along its main run.

Earley is well catered for, of course, if you like Asian, chicken or cake. There are equally a few places to eat out in Winnersh, but even the caff at Sainsbury's is earmarked for closure.

So when it comes for a kid friendly destination in between there's not a lot of choice. 

I hate to admit never having been to either The Three Turns or The Rifle Volunteer and The Pheasant is another sadly closed pub en route. Therefore, a last minute Sunday lunch was scheduled in what is pretty much the only place for miles in the sprawling suburbia that lies on this bus route between the three towns.

So, The George it was.

Now, I have to select my words carefully here and say that is on Loddon Bridge on the border of Lower Earley and Winnersh. If there's one thing I've learnt living in Reading it is that you must get your suburbs spot on.

It's a strange but actually quite lovely spot once you get past the traffic at the junction. Indeed, the first time we tried to go there we missed the turning into the car park and drove away, unable to face coming back via the traffic at one of the area's busiest junctions.

The Harley Davidson showroom opposite has closed down - not many aging bikers in the area it seems - whilst the ugly behemoth of the brutalist Showcase cinema is  hidden by waterside weeping willows.

Past the old motorbike showroom, apparently, there is a lovely riverside walk up the Loddon, if you can put up with the nearby traffic noise. Otherwise, it is sprawling suburbia and major roads in all directions.

The George is an old wayside pub with nice seating outside and a large bar and equally spacious restaurant area.

It's a Chef and Brewer establishment, and they tend to emphasise food a bit more than many others, and despite having more recently finding the car park and stopping for a drink from time to time, this was our first time eating here.

We had a swift drink at the bar as we gathered (kids aside, we were all on the Sancerre, which was a nowadays-reasonable £34 or so). Then we moved to be seated in the eating area, full with local families enjoying their Sunday afternoons. Apparently they do use the pub area for overspill, but much of that was also full as we passed with locals gathering for a catch up over a Sunday pint (without the music or footie screens). The pints are reasonable at the £5 mark, by the way.

But this is a food review, so let's get to the main course...

There was, of course, a Sunday roast menu with a choice of beef, pork, and interestingly, turkey, or all three for a mixed roast.

But there were also plenty of other choices, such as hake and chips or sheppard's pie, and specials such as a wild boar scotch egg starter and braised beef's cheeks with gravy, mash and roast veggies.

There is, naturally, a kids' menu with all the usual favourites. As long as it involves chips, brocolli, peas and goujons our young ones are easily pleased, and so they were.

We couldn't resist the Scotch egg, and although no match for The Lyndhurst's much lamented version, and a wee bit not runny enough, was nevertheless delicious, served with a sweet relish and rocket leaves.

Main course included a burger (which my brother in law said hit the spot), a beef roast, a pork roast and the mixed roast. And, yes, on your behalf, dear reader, I literally went the whole hog.

The beef and pork were what you would expect from  a chain pub lunch - coming in a giveaway rectangular slices, but the turkey was somehow succulent and full of flavour, an achievement at any time. The family were happy with their meats - any restaurant has to play a careful balancing act between cost and quality these days and this was pretty good value for the money, but you will find better if you're willing to add a tenner or so to your meal.

The gravy was a bit Bisto (nothing wrong with that) and the roast potatoes were definitely not roasted enough, which was the biggest complain and a bit of surprise at this time of day. My wife used to refuse to go to our favourite Sunday lunch spot in London until 2pm because the roasties were just too soft before then.

But the cabbage, carrots and parsnips were spot on.

Now to the best bits -  the fat sausage in a paltry bacon blanket was meaty and delicious, the sides of cauliflower cheese and honey glazed sausages, which we over-ordered, leading to the best part of the meal - the tastiest, soft but with crunch in the right places, Yorkshire Puddings I think I may have ever tasted.

Let's dwell here for a moment because this always seems to be something that is an afterthought, either served early and soggy or late and rock hard. A Sunday service will typically go on for four hours or more, so serving perfect Yorkies three hours in was a feat (yest alone not resorting to the frozen AuntBessie versions). 

We bumped into the chef on the way out and congratulated him on this achievement and he seemed genuinely proud.

It's worth mentioning how friendly and accommodating the staff were, even if the kitchen did seem to struggle with the kids' ice cream order, of all things.

It resulted in a relaxed, enjoyable Sunday afternoon in good company and a slightly over-full girth for our bus journeys home.

The George is a banker, not just in terms of its location by the river, but also as a place which will never be spectacular, but a really safe place to have a decent meal with friends and family, especially if they live on the number 4 bus route.