Providing what some consider to be the best substitute for the more expensive sturgeon caviars, the North American Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) is a close relative of the sturgeon. The caviar flavor is rich and complex; some people find it comparable to sevruga caviar in taste: the texture is smooth and silky; it is slightly saltier and more understated than Caspian sturgeon caviar. The smallish eggs come in many shades of gray from pale to dark steel, and are also found in golden brown tones.